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Tigers ace Naile to lean on big-game experience in Opening Day start

Published: 13 Mar. 2025, 14:36

Kia Tigers ace James Naile pitches during a training game against Sangmu Phoenix at Gwangju Kia Champions Field in Gwangju on Oct 9. 2024 [KIA TIGERS]

After starting in two games of the 2024 Korean Series, Kia Tigers ace James Naile feels like he will be ready for anything in the KBO, including his first Opening Day start next weekend.

"I'm very excited. It's a big honor to be an Opening Day starter for Kia," Naile told reporters Thursday at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. Just minutes before Naile's media scrum, Tigers manager Lee Bum-ho had announced Naile as his starter for the season opener on March 22 against the NC Dinos.

"I just want to go out and do my best, set the tone for the year, hopefully give us the chance to win," Naile added.

Lee cited Naile's big-game experience as the main factor behind his decision to go with Naile over the team's other American starter, Adam Oller, who is in his first KBO season.

Of course, experience isn't the only reason. Naile led the KBO with a 2.53 ERA last year and pitched to the exact same ERA in his two Korean Series outings after holding the Samsung Lions to three runs in 10 2/3 innings and striking out 13.

"I think the Korean Series has prepared me for whatever," Naile said with a smile. "I'm ready for crowds, I'm ready for cheering. I'm just kind of ready for the KBO. I've been there, and I've seen it and I've played at the top of it, and so I'm ready to do it again."

Naile will make his preseason debut against the Bears at Jamsil on Friday and likely go four innings on 60 to 70 pitches.

"It's fun to play the exhibition games because it starts to feel like real games again," he said. "It's time to start thinking about how you're really going to play. So it's fun to get back in a real game scenario again and compete."

Naile said he is trying to have realistic expectations about 2025, with an understanding that it will be difficult to duplicate his performance from a season ago.

"I'm trying not to compare this year to last year too much, because for one, it's very difficult to do that again and I don't want to put that pressure on myself," he said. "And two, it's a new year. I'm going to take what I learned from last year and hopefully use it this year, and try and be a better pitcher this year."

Yonhap