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| Juan Lagares, new outfielder for the SSG Landers, signs his contract with the Korea Baseball Organization club, in this photo provided by the Landers on Friday. Courtesy of SSG |
The SSG Landers, the top team in South Korean baseball so far this season, announced Friday they have signed a Gold Glove-winning outfielder Juan Lagares.
The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) club said Lagares will earn $400,000 in guaranteed salary for the rest of the season, with $95,000 up for grabs in incentives.
Lagares, 33, will replace Kevin Cron in the Landers' lineup. In his first KBO season, Cron batted .222/.255/.420 with 11 home runs and 35 RBIs in 67 games. He spent some time in the minors and was supplanted at first base by rookie Jeon Ui-san.
Lagares made his major league debut with the New York Mets in 2013 and won the National League Gold Glove at center field the following year.
He signed with the Los Angeles Angels as a free agent before the 2021 season and also spent the early portion of this season with the Halos, batting .183 without a home run or an RBI in 20 games.
For his major league career, Lagares put up a .250/.291/.360 line with 31 home runs and 217 RBIs in 850 games.
The Landers said Lagares will arrive in South Korea once his work visa is issued.
Through Thursday's action, the Landers were in first place at 52-26-3 (wins-losses-ties), 2.5 games ahead of the Kiwoom Heroes.
The Landers also plan to replace oft-injured starter Ivan Nova, the former New York Yankees ace that the Landers had signed to much fanfare last December.
The right-hander has struggled to a 6.50 ERA and a 3-4 record in 12 starts. He hasn't pitched since June 15 while dealing with elbow and hip injuries.
KBO clubs can each sign up to three foreign players, but no more than two pitchers. The Landers' other foreign pitcher, Wilmer Font, has been lights out. He ranks second in the KBO with a 2.02 ERA, behind only his teammate, Kim Kwang-hyun (1.37), and leads the league with 116 innings and 0.75 walks and hits per inning pitched. (Yonhap)
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