Is a replacement pitcher a godsend?
Kia Tigers’ injury replacement pitcher Cam Aldred, 27, has been a solid addition to the starting lineup. He has filled the void left by the injury to Will Crowe, one of the best outfielders of all time. Kia has found stability in its starting rotation, which is crucial in a championship race, giving it hope of winning its first regular season title in seven years. He is expected to be converted to a full-time foreigner.
Aldred started the game against the LG Twins at Jamsil Stadium on April 11 and pitched well. He allowed just one hit and two walks while striking out nine batters until the bottom of the seventh inning. His performance was crucial to the team’s 4-2 victory. Kia swept the series, extending its winning streak to six games and consolidating its hold on first place.
It was a perfect pitching performance.
Starting with Hong Chang-ki in the first inning and ending with Moon Bo-kyung in the top of the fifth, he pitched a perfect game against 13 batters. He gave up the first run of the game when he walked Park Dong-won. He pitched a no-hitter until Austin singled in the top of the seventh. Two batters later, he relinquished the mound to Jang Hyun-sik to thunderous applause.
It was his best pitch in six games since joining the team. 안전놀이터 LG batters struggled with his slider that curved behind the left-hander’s back and his slider that went deep inside the right-hander. It was his third quality start in six games. He has a 3,.45 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and 2.1 K/9 ratio.
His fastball sits in the low 90s, and his slider is a classic slider, and his control is solid. He’s been especially dominant against lefties, posting an OAVG of 1.146 against lefties. His strikeouts per nine innings are also among the best in the league at 10.63. His walks per nine innings are 3.45.
He is pitching with honors among the league’s pitchers.
He was a last-minute addition after Will Crowe, who won five games in eight starts, went down with elbow surgery. He’s been designated for assignment, but given his command and reliability, it’s likely he’ll make the switch to full-time. Given the abundance of strong left-handed hitters in the league, there’s no need to look for a new one.
Aldred was somewhat timid in his introductory press conference in early June. He spoke so softly that reporters asked him to speak louder. “I’m very shy off the field,” he said, “but on the mound, I turn it around 180 percent and throw like a bad boy. True to his word, he is being a bad boy on the mound.
Kia now has a lefty who can comfortably go six innings. We’ll have to wait and see, but with Aldred’s success, the Kia starting staff has put together an important piece of the puzzle to win the title. Along with James Nail and Yang Hyun-jong, the Kia pitching staff has built a 123-punch. They also have a strong batting lineup, which gives them a better chance of winning. The signing of Aldred is proving to be a success.