Foreign pitcher Casey Kelly will stay with the LG Twins for a sixth year.

LG re-signed Kelly on March 23. Kelly agreed to a contract through the 2024 season for a total of $1.5 million ($400,000 signing bonus, $800,000 salary, $300,000 incentive).

Kelly, who joined the organization in 2019, has appeared in 144 regular-season games over five seasons, posting a 68-38 record with a 3.08 ERA and 684 strikeouts. He re-signed for the 2024 season, becoming the organization’s longest-tenured foreign pitcher with six seasons under his belt.

“I’m looking forward to playing in front of our fans again next season,” said Kelly. I felt the love of our fans during the Korean Series, and I want to feel it again next year. I will prepare my teammates and myself to win the championship next season and give our fans a great time. I love the LG Twins fans.”

The club said, “With 68 career KBO wins, Casey Kelly is already a proven player. We are confident that we will be able to share a starting spot with her for the 24th season. He found his groove in the second half of last season, and we’re excited to see what he can do in Season 24. We look forward to rewarding our fans with consistent performances.”

Kelly first signed with LG in 2019 and moved to South Korea, where he was an ace in his first year.

In 2019, he went 14-12 with a 2.55 ERA and was re-signed. In 2020, he went 15-7 with a 3.32 ERA and was a consistent starter. In 2021, he went 13-8 with a 3.15 ERA, and in 2022, he went 16-4 with a 2.54 ERA.

Kelly is 10-7 with a 3.83 ERA in 30 games this year. It’s his worst performance in the last four years. However, after going 6-5 with a 4.44 ERA in 18 games in the first half of the year, he rebounded with a 4-2 record and 2.90 ERA in 12 games in the second half.

Kelly had a quality start in Game 1 of the Korean Series, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits and two walks with six strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings. It was a no-decision. In Game 5 of the Korean Series, he pitched five innings of five-hit ball with three walks, three strikeouts and one earned run as LG won its first Korean Series title in 29 years.

Manager Yoon Kyung-yeop announced his intention to re-sign Kelly during the Korean Series. On Nov. 11, ahead of Game 4 of the Korean Series, 먹튀검증토토사이트 Yeom shared a backstory about Kelly’s starting schedule. If LG had lost Game 3, the plan was for Kelly to start Game 4 on three days’ rest. (LG won Game 3 on a dramatic come-from-behind three-run homer by Oh Ji-hwan with two outs in the ninth inning, so Kelly was ready to start Game 5 instead of Game 4.)

Throughout the process, Kelley showed his team-first dedication.

“He told me that if we lose, we don’t have a choice, so we have bullpen pitchers, so he said he would go out with the idea of throwing five innings, even if it’s short. It’s a bit of a burden to pitch after three days of rest, but she didn’t say no, and that’s really nice to see,” he said.

“So I didn’t think twice about it, and I’m going to go with Kelly next year. It’s important what the front office thinks, and I think having a foreign player who has that kind of heart for the team helps a lot when a new foreign player comes in. If we can get a good starter, Kelly can be a good second starter.”

“Kelly has been working on her new pitches (for the Korean Series). His strikeout rate will be much higher next season, and he’ll throw fewer pitches (per inning),” said Yeom, who expects Kelly to rebound next year after struggling in the first half of this season.