Will the Samsung Lions, who need to strengthen their bullpen, embrace Kim Kang-ryul (36) of the Doosan Bears.메이저사이트

Samsung, which had weak back door to back door, reached 5.12 ERA, the lowest in the league in the 2023 season, has aggressively stepped up its pitching after the season. It signed a four-year contract with KT Wiz closer Kim Jae-yoon at 5.8 billion won (6.37 million U.S. dollars), and also had veteran Lim Chang-min at 800 million won (6.37 million dollars) for two years. It brought Yang Hyun and Choi Sung-hoon in the second draft.

During the regular season, the relief pitchers posted an earned run average of 4.94, ranking third after the Doosan Bears (4.54) and the KIA Tigers (4.76). The problem was the Korean Series. Leading 1-0, the relief pitchers who took the mound after starting pitcher Won Tae-in collapsed and lost 1-5. In the fifth game, Lewin Diaz`s multi-homer game and Kim Young-woong`s solo shot gave the team a 5-1 lead, but the bullpen failed to keep the lead and lost 5-7.

In the Korean Series, the ERA of the KIA bullpen was solid at 1.33, but Samsung was unstable at 6.17. Given the limitations of the relievers, some predict that the team will seek to strengthen the bullpen in the upcoming Stove League. In the FA market, Jang Hyun-sik, Kim Won-joong, Koo Seung-min and Noh Kyung-eun were among those with quasi-class talent.

A week has passed since the KBO League announced its FA-approved roster on the 5th, but Samsung has yet to recruit a new relief pitcher. Jang Hyun-sik, the "biggest fish," signed a four-year contract with the LG Twins for a total of 5.2 billion won. Lotte Giants' "saving duo" Kim Won-joong and Koo Seung-min both remained on the original team.

Now, Samsung has to choose from among its remaining resources in the free agent market. Kim Kang-ryul is an attractive player for Samsung. He was the 26th overall pick in the second and fourth rounds of the 2007 rookie draft. Having played for Doosan for 17 years, he played in 448 games and recorded 26 wins, 14 losses, 46 saves and 56 holds in 476 ⅔ innings.

His performance was not bad. In the 2017 season, he achieved a career high with 7 wins, 2 losses, 7 saves, 12 holds, and an ERA of 3.44 in 70 games. In the 2021 season, he finished his team with a ERA of 2.09 with 3 wins, 21 saves and 3 holds. He struggled with various injuries in 2022 and 2023, but rebounded with a ERA of 2 wins, 2 losses and 1 save and 12 holds in 53 games in the 2024 season.

Kim Kang-ryul's FA grade is C. According to the KBO compensation regulations, grade C only requires payment of 150% of the previous year's salary without compensation players. Since he received an annual salary of 150 million won this year, he only needs to pay 225 million won to Doosan, which can prevent the outflow of prospect. The burden of salary cap is also relatively small because the contract size is not larger than other players. Attention is focusing on how Samsung will judge Kim Kang-ryul.