The main character of the reverse export ace from the KBO League achieved 5 wins in the season.
Merrill Kelly 메이저사이트(35, Arizona Diamondbacks) started on the 22nd (Korean time) in an away game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2023 Major League Baseball held at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, 5 innings, 3 hits, 4 strikeouts, 2 walks and 3 runs (2 self-blame) and achieved 5 wins (3 losses) in the season. His season earned run average was 2.98.
Kelly, who had 48 wins in the KBO League, won 5 wins in the season against the Pittsburgh lineup without Bae Ji-hwan. After removing Bae Ji-hwan from the starting lineup, Pittsburgh did not use Bae during the game. Bae Ji-hwan has a batting average of 0.254, 2 homers, 12 RBIs, 21 points, 14 stolen bases, and an OPS of 0.647 in 42 games this season.
Kelly led the SK Wyverns to their last Korean Series victory in 2018. He won 48 wins in SK, and signed a 2+2 year contract with Arizona ahead of the 2019 season. He spent four years making $15 million plus $5.5 million and $9.5 million contracts. He signed a two-year, $18 million extension before ending his 2+2 year contract. In other words, he signed a contract worth 33 million dollars (approximately 43.8 billion won) until the 2024 season.
In 2019 and 2022, he accumulated 13 wins. And on this day, he accumulated his 41st major league career win. It is 89 victories in Korea and the United States. If you add just one win, you will succeed in 90 victories in Korea and the United States. As a reverse export ace from the KBO League, this is a significant milestone.
Kelly mixed a cutter, changeup, and curveball with a four-seam and two-seam in the low 90s. After two outs in the second inning, he gave up a walk to Connor Joe and tried to check first base, but it became a bad throw. He also allowed Joe to score on Rodolfo Castro’s wild throw at the plate. However, he caught Castro with a changeup and a first baseman line drive to finish the inning.
However, he blocked the 3rd or 4th inning well with a three-way offense. After one out in the fifth inning, Joe, Castro, and Tucupita Marcano allowed three hits in a row to tie the score at 3-3. Both the changeup and sinker entered well low, but the cohesiveness of the hitters was good. Andrew McCutchen allowed a walk, but Brian Reynolds grounded to second base with a 93 mph sinker. As the batting line raised the lead score again in the 6th inning, Kelly dramatically met the 5-win requirement. Arizona’s 8-3 victory.