Former KBO Most Valuable Player (MVP) Eric Pedroia (NC Dinos) is expected to return to Major League Baseball (MLB) in 2023.
MLB.com’s Mark Finesand reported on Friday (Aug. 5), citing sources, that “Pedi is close to signing with an as-yet undisclosed team. It’s expected to be a two-year, $5 million-plus deal.”
If reports are to be believed, Peddy will return to MLB for a two-year deal worth more than $10 million. He made $21.5 million (about $2.84 billion) in the 2022 season with the Washington Nationals, more than doubling his salary in two years.
The move to South Korea marks a turning point for Pedi.
From his debut in the big leagues in 2017 to 2022, he stayed with Washington until 2023, when he partnered with NC to try his hand at the KBO.
In the first month of the season, he went 4-1 with a 0.47 ERA in six games, then went 20-6 with a 2.00 ERA in 2023. He won the pitcher’s triple crown of wins, ERA, and strikeouts (209), and set a new record for both 20 wins and 200 strikeouts in a single season.
Pedi was also named the regular season MVP.
Pedi’s dominance of the KBO league has attracted interest from the United States and Japan.
NC hoped to keep Pedi with them next year, but it’s not easy to keep him.
The KBO limits the total contract value of the three foreign players on a team to no more than $4 million 먹튀검증 (about 5.36 billion won). The amount increases by $100,000 for each year of service, but it’s not a lot of money.
Speaking about his future at the KBO Awards late last month, Pedi said, “I have to talk to NC, and I can talk to other teams. Whatever I decide, I’m going to put my family first.”