Another KBO League reverse export myth has been born. Samsung Lions former pitcher Ben Lively (32, Cleveland Guardians) has become a 10-win pitcher in the major leagues.
Lively started the 2024 Major League Baseball home game against the Baltimore Orioles at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, on Feb. 2 (KST), allowing two runs on four hits (one home run) and one walk while striking out four in six innings to earn his 10th win of the season. It was a quality start in the team’s 10-3 victory and fourth straight win. Cleveland is in first place in the American League Central (66-42).
It got off to a shaky start. After giving up a leadoff double to Colton Kauser in the top of the first, he gave up an RBI single to Gunner Henderson with the bases loaded. He got out of the jam by getting Anthony Santander to fly out to left and Ryan O’Hearn to ground out to second.
The top of the second inning, which made it 2-1, was a 16-pitch triple play. He struck out leadoff hitter Ryan Mountcastle on a swinging strike, got Cedric Mullins to ground out to third and Ramon Urias to ground out to foul tip.
In the top of the third,
He walked Kauser with one out, but used his changeup to get Adley Lurchman to ground into a double play at second base and shortstop to end the inning.
Lively added another run in the top of the fourth to make it 5-1. With the bases loaded, she gave up a leadoff solo home run to Santander. 바카라사이트 추천 After a first-pitch strike, the right-hander lined a 90.8-mph (146-kilometer) sinker to center field for a 416-foot (126-meter) towering home run. It was Lively’s 17th home run of the season.
Lively settled down quickly. He faced Mullins-Urias-Jackson Holliday again in the top of the fifth inning and then, with two outs in the top of the sixth, he got Santander to fly out to shortstop to end a two-game stretch of quality starts.
Lively exited the game in favor of Cade Smith in the top of the seventh with a 5-2 lead. He threw 90 pitches (58 for strikes). Cleveland went on to win 10-3, giving him his first double-digit win season in the majors.
Lively is no stranger to KBO fans.
He joined the Samsung organization in August 2019 as a foreign exchange replacement for Deck McGuire and went 10-12 with a 4.14 ERA in 36 games through 2021. He was released midseason due to a shoulder injury after going winless in six games in 2021 with a 4.05 ERA.
After leaving South Korea, Lively signed a minor league contract with the Cincinnati Reds in 2022 to try again in the big leagues. He spent his first year in Triple-A, but after being called up to the majors in May of the following year, he proved his competitiveness with a 4-7 record and 5.38 ERA in 19 games before signing a one-year, $750,000 (approx. KRW 1 billion) free agent contract with Cleveland.
Lively was given the opportunity to fill in as a starter this season after former Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber underwent elbow surgery, and he earned the job with a series of strong outings. Since mid-April, he has been a regular in the starting rotation and is the team’s winningest pitcher. It’s a great story for a pitcher who was released from the KBO.