Lions bring back slugger Diaz, starter Jurado

Lewin Diaz of the Samsung Lions hits an RBI double against the Hanwha Eagles during Game 2 of the second-round series in the Korea Baseball Organization postseason at Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark in the central city of Daejeon, Oct. 19. Yonhap

The Samsung Lions announced Tuesday they will bring back first baseman Lewin Diaz and starting pitcher Ariel Jurado for the 2026 season.

The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) club said Diaz re-signed for up to $1.6 million. He received a signing bonus of $200,000, and his salary will be $1.3 million. He can make another $100,000 in incentives.

Jurado inked a new deal worth up to $1.7 million — $1.3 million in salary, $300,000 in signing bonus and $100,000 in incentives.

Diaz joined the Lions in the middle of the 2024 season and will now return for his second full season. In 2025, Diaz set a KBO record with 158 RBIs, and his league-high 50 home runs were the most ever hit by a foreign player in a season. Diaz also led the league with a .644 slugging percentage and an on-base plus slugging of 1.025, while nabbing his first KBO Fielding Award at first base.

He was the runner-up to Hanwha Eagles pitcher Cody Ponce in the regular-season MVP voting.

Jurado signed with the Lions before the 2025 season, following two years with another KBO club, the Kiwoom Heroes. The workhorse from Panama led the KBO with 197 1/3 innings pitched, three complete games and 23 quality starts, while ranking fourth overall with 15 wins and a 2.60 ERA.

KBO teams are each allowed three foreign players, no more than two pitchers, plus an extra player from an Asian country or Australia starting in the 2026 season. The Lions finished the 2025 season with Jurado and Gerson Garabito as their two foreign pitchers. They have yet to sign their Asian quota player.