Samsung Lions sign All-Star closer Kim Jae-yoon in free agency
New Samsung Lions pitcher Kim Jae-yoon, left, poses with general manager Lee Jong-yeol after signing a free agent contract with the Korea Baseball Organization club, Nov. 22. Courtesy of Samsung Lions
The Samsung Lions signed an All-Star closer Kim Jae-yoon in free agency Wednesday, making a big splash to shore up their bullpen for next season.
The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) club said Kim, 33, has agreed to a four-year deal that can pay him up to 5.8 billion won ($4.5 million). Kim will make 2.8 billion won in total salary and 2 billion won in a signing bonus. He can earn an additional 1 billion won in incentives.
The right-hander had been with the KT Wiz since their inaugural season in 2015 and recorded 169 saves over 481 appearances with a 3.58 ERA over 504 2/3 innings. He has struck out 542 and walked 138.
Kim made 360 million won with the Wiz in 2023.
Kim is coming off his third consecutive 30-save season with 32 in 2023. Since 2020, Kim has had the second-most saves in the KBO with 118, five behind the incumbent Lions closer, Oh Seung-hwan.
Oh had 30 saves this year at age 41, despite briefly losing his closer job and spending time in the minor league earlier in the season. It wasn't immediately clear how the Lions will use Kim in the bullpen, with Oh currently negotiating a new deal with the Lions as a free agent.
Kim and Oh will most likely serve as a duel threat at the back end of the bullpen, with Kim taking over the full-time gig if Oh decides to retire before Kim's four-year contract runs out.
"The Lions made me a great offer, and I got the sense that they really needed me," Kim said. "When I made my KBO debut in 2015, the Lions were an incredible team. I want to do my best to help the team return to those glory days." (Yonhap)