2024-07-10 12:50:28
“Re-challenge the Japanese rookie draft this fall”
Keisho Shirakawa (23, Japan), who played for SSG and was the first short-term replacement foreign player introduced to Korean professional baseball this year, will wear the Doosan uniform this time.
Doosan recently notified the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) that they would select Shirakawa, who was waived by SSG, as a short-term replacement for pitcher Brandon Waddell, who was out of action due to a left shoulder injury, and designate him. As of the 3rd day of Shirakawa’s waiver announcement, there is almost no chance that a team lower than Doosan will designate Shirakawa, so his move to Doosan is certain. The right to designate is given in reverse order of the team rankings based on the waiver announcement date. Doosan plans to officially announce the acquisition of Shirakawa on the 10th.
Shirakawa, who played for Tokushima in the Japanese independent league, wore the SSG uniform as a short-term replacement for Roenis Elias, who suffered an internal oblique injury at the end of May. Starting this year, the KBO allowed temporary replacement players to be selected when an existing foreign player is out of action for more than six weeks. Shirakawa signed a six-week contract with SSG for 1.8 million yen (about 15.47 million won).
Although his price tag was low, his performance exceeded expectations. Shirakawa started five games with a fastball of over 150 km/h and a sharp curveball as his main weapons, recording 2 wins, 2 losses, and an ERA of 5.09. Except for the 8 runs (7 earned runs) in 1 and 1/3 innings against Lotte on the 7th of last month, he pitched more than 5 innings in all of his games. At the end of his six-week contract, SSG manager Lee Soong-yong said, “I really thought a lot about choosing between Shirakawa and Elias.” When SSG decided to go with Elias, Shirakawa said a tearful farewell to his SSG teammates.
But Doosan immediately reached out. Doosan, which was considering between Shirakawa and Eric Yokishi (formerly of Kiwoom), the most wins in Korean professional baseball, eventually chose Shirakawa. He had been verified in the domestic league and could play in the game right away without having to get a new work visa.
Shirakawa’s dream is to play in Japanese professional baseball. After graduating from high school, he was not selected by a Japanese professional team and was repeatedly rejected in the rookie draft, but the experience he gained in Korean professional baseball could be a great help to his growth. Shirakawa plans to challenge again in the Japanese professional baseball rookie draft this fall.
Reporter Lee Heon-jae [email protected]
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2024-07-10 12:50:28