They don’t have the domestic resources to offer a contract extension to a foreign pitcher with an ERA in the 7s. Brandon Waddell’s slow recovery from injury is the primary reason, but when his rehabilitation takes longer than expected, the reality that the only other option is Keisho Shirakawa is bittersweet.
Doosan Bears manager Lee Seung-yeop met with reporters at Jamsil Stadium on the 13th to break the news of Brandon’s rehabilitation program and revealed that the team will soon seek a contract extension with Shirakawa.
Brandon, who re-signed with Doosan ahead of the 2024 season for a total of $11.3 million (about 1.5 billion won), suffered a partially damaged subscapularis muscle in his left shoulder on June 23 against the Daegu Samsung Lions, leaving him with a 7-4 record and 3.12 ERA in 14 games. A medical examination revealed that he would need to rehabilitate for at least six weeks, and Doosan immediately signed Shirakawa, who had acclimated to the KBO from SSG Landers, to a short-term foreign player contract for a total of 4 million yen ($34 million).
Unlike his time at SSG,
Shirakawa suffered from so-called “crowd jitters” and repeatedly pitched poorly in games with five second-rate starts. After joining Doosan, he started five games and struggled mightily, going 1-2 with a 7.25 ERA (18 earned runs in 22⅓ innings). While his velocity was his strong point, he gave up a whopping 21 walks in 22⅓ innings. In five games, he had zero quality starts.
Time has passed and Shirakawa’s contract expiration is now a week away, but Brandon is not returning. When he pitched out of the bullpen for the first time in 41 days at Jamsil Stadium on March 3, the prospects of his return were bright, 토토사이트 순위 but he complained of shoulder pain again during the buildup and all plans were halted. On the 13th, Lee said, “I don’t think Brandon will be able to throw a ball until this week. It’s a lull in the rainfall. We don’t know when he’ll be back,” he said in frustration.
With both Shirakawa and Brandon unable to touch the bat, Doosan decided to extend the contract of Jango End Shirakawa. Despite a five-game ERA in the high 7s, the team made the bittersweet decision that Shirakawa was better than their existing domestic top-five options. Things might have been a little different if Choi Jun-ho was available, but he suffered a partial tear in his ankle ligaments while fielding a week ago and will be rehabbing for at least eight weeks.
Lee with a bitter smile
“We don’t have any domestic players,” Lee said with a bitter smile, “Shirakawa is not a standout performer, but it’s better than nothing. It’s important to keep the rotation going. Last week against LG, we gave up six runs, but we had good pitches and good control of the ball. We’re getting better and better. It’s always good to have an extra pitcher in the rotation. I think the club will talk to Shirakawa this week.”
The key is Shirakawa’s will. If Shirakawa, who dreams of making it to Nippon Professional Baseball, decides to return to his homeland to prepare for the draft, Doosan will have to fill the spot with a lesser domestic player starting next week. In a tight race for the final spot in the league, a one-loss season would be more than a one-loss season, so Doosan is likely to go all out to keep Shirakawa.
“If we can delay his return to Japan a little longer, it would be helpful for us to play him,” Lee said, expressing his hope that Shirakawa would stay with Doosan for a while longer.