Heroes name pitching coach Son Hyuk as new manager

Barely a week after losing the Korean Series, the Kiwoom Heroes have named a new manager.

The Heroes announced their former pitching coach Son Hyuk as the new skipper Monday. The Korean club said Son has agreed to a two-year deal worth 600 million won ($517,090), which includes a signing bonus of 200 million won.

Son, 46, is succeeding Jang Jung-suk, whose three-year deal expired after the Heroes were swept by the Doosan Bears in the Korean Series on Oct. 26.

Son pitched for three clubs in the KBO from 1996 to 2004. He was the Heroes’ pitching coach from 2014 to 2016 and then served in the same role for the SK Wyverns from 2017 to this past season.

The Heroes reached their first Korean Series in 2014, Son’s first season with the club, and the Wyverns won the Korean Series in 2018 and had the best team ERA in the regular season with Son on their staff.

Ha Song, the Heroes’ CEO, called Son “a tireless worker” who has a huge amount of passion for the game.

“He has been a coach on the championship-winning Wyverns, and we expect him to bring a breath of fresh air to our ball club,” Ha added.

Along with the Heroes, the Lotte Giants announced the signing of Noh Kyung-eun on Monday. The Giants agreed to a two-year contract with Noh at 1.1 billion won. With the signing, Noh will be returning to the mound after a year of absence.

Yonhap