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Korean Series champs LG Twins bring back 3 foreign players

Published: 03 Dec. 2025, 12:50 Updated: 03 Dec. 2025, 14:23

Austin Dean of the LG Twins celebrates after hitting a solo home run against the Hanwha Eagles during a KBO regular-season game at Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark in the central city of Daejeon on Sept. 27 [YONHAP]

2025 Korean Series champions LG Twins announced Wednesday that they will bring back all three of their foreign players for another go together.

Not about to mess with success, the Twins re-signed first baseman Austin Dean and starting pitchers Yonny Chirinos and Anders Tolhurst.

Dean is coming back for his fourth season in the KBO for up to $1.7 million, with $1.1 million in salary, $300,000 in signing bonus and $300,000 in incentives.

Chirinos, the Twins' Opening Day starter in 2025, is returning for his second KBO season for up to $1.4 million, with $900,000 in salary, $300,000 in signing bonus and $200,000 in incentives.

Tolhurst, who joined the Twins in August and was the winning pitcher in the deciding Game 5 of the Korean Series against the Hanwha Eagles, agreed to a $1.2 million contract, with $800,000 in salary, $200,000 in signing bonus and $200,000 in incentives.

Dean has been one of the most productive first basemen in the KBO since arriving in Korea in 2023. In 395 career games, he logged 86 home runs, 322 RBIs and a .315/.384/.560. In the 2023-25 period, Dean ranks first in the KBO in RBIs, third in home runs and second in on-base plus slugging. Dean won the Golden Glove awards, given to the best overall player at each position, in 2023 and 2024, and also earned his first Fielding Award at first base in 2024.

This year, he was limited to just 116 games due to injuries but still hit 31 home runs and knocked in 95 runs to help the Twins win the pennant and ultimately the Korean Series.

LG Twins starter Yonny Chirinos returns to the dugout after completing the bottom of the third inning of Game 4 of the Korean Series against the Hanwha Eagles at Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark in the central city of Daejeon on Oct. 30. [YONHAP]

Chirinos was a workhorse throughout the season, making 30 starts and going 13-6 with a 3.31 ERA over 177 innings. The right-hander ranked fourth in the KBO in innings pitched and fifth in wins, while leading the Twins with 17 quality starts — an outing in which a pitcher goes at least six innings and allows three earned runs or fewer.

Tolhurst came over from the Toronto Blue Jays' minor league system to replace Elieser Hernandez and enjoyed instant success here by winning his first four starts and limiting opponents to just one earned run over 25 innings. He finished the regular season with a 6-2 record and a 2.86 ERA in eight starts.

The right-hander also shone in the Korean Series, earning victories in Games 1 and 5 while allowing just three runs on 11 hits in 13 innings against the Eagles.

"All three players did an excellent job for the team this past season, and we expect even bigger things out of them next year," the Twins said. "On top of their excellent performances on the field, all three of them will continue to be a positive influence in our clubhouse with their team-first mentality and great character."

Yonhap