Pitcher Aquilino Lopez |
By Yoon Chul
Staff Reporter
Starting pitcher Aquilino Lopez could be back in a Kia Tigers uniform next year, as the Gwangju-based club said the Dominican Republic native is interested in returning.
"Lopez wants to stay with the team, so it should be easy to re-sign him to a contract," a Tigers official said.
The inning-eater played a key role for the Tigers in their first Korean Series championship since 1997.
The 34-year-old was 14-5 with a 3.12 ERA and a league-high 190 1/3 innings pitched.
He also got two big wins for the Tigers against the SK Wyverns in the Korean Series, where he had an ERA of 1.53.
He allowed three runs in eight innings of work in Game 1 and notched a complete-game shutout in Game 5.
With his dominant play in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) this past season, many believed he would move to Japan, like former KBO aces Seth Greisinger, now with the Yomiuri Giants, and Daniel Rios, who went to the Yakult Swallows.
The Tigers will send an official to the Dominican Republic to attempt to re-sign Lopez, who returned home after the Korean Series ended to be with his family. He will also play in the Dominican Winter League.
yc@koreatimes.co.kr
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