KBO’s current wins leader Bae Young-soo to join Bears

Bae Young-soo, the wins leader among all active pitchers in Korean baseball, has found a new home.

The 37-year-old right-hander signed a one-year deal worth 100 million won ($89,300) with the Doosan Bears on Friday. The KBO club said that Bae, who has 137 career victories, can be a useful asset either in the starting rotation or in the bullpen, thanks to his experience and his ability to command many different pitches.

Bae was drafted by the Samsung Lions out of high school in 2000 and remained with the club until 2014. He then signed with the Hanwha Eagles as a free agent before the 2015 season.

Injuries have slowed him down in recent years. In 2018, Bae was limited to 11 appearances and 55 2/3 innings, and posted a 2-3 record with a 6.63 ERA. He made 500 million won this year. The Eagles released him after the season, but the Bears felt Bae had at least another season left in him.

Yonhap