Jordan Hicks (28, photo), one of the fastest pitchers in Major League Baseball (MLB), became a teammate with Jeong-hoo Lee (San Francisco).
MLB.com reported on the 14th, “San Francisco signed a four-year contract with Hicks for a total of $44 million (about 57.9 billion won).” What stands out is Hicks’ position. Until now, he has mainly played as a bullpen pitcher, but in San Francisco, he is preparing for the season as a starting pitcher. Hicks, who debuted in St. Louis in 2018, is a leading MLB bullpen pitcher. He took the mound at the end of the game and pitched a short inning, throwing fast balls. Last year, when he was traded from St. Louis to Toronto, he shared a meal with Ryu Hyun-jin, and the average speed of both his fastball and sinker pitches exceeded 100 miles per hour (161 km per hour). His top speed reached 105 miles per hour (169 kilometers per hour).
Hicks appeared in 65 games last year and recorded 3 wins, 9 losses, 13 holds, 12 saves, and an ERA of 3.29. He gave up only 32 walks while striking out 81 batters. His big league career records are 11 wins, 21 losses, 51 holds, 32 saves, and an earned run average of 3.85. It's not that he doesn't have experience as a starting pitcher. At the start of the 2022 season, he has eight appearances as a starting pitcher. In most of the games he started as a starter, he was eliminated early and did not win even a single game.
In this Stove League, San Francisco recruited Hicks following the 2021 American League Cy Young Award winner Robbie Ray. However, reinforcement of the starting lineup is still needed. Ray underwent elbow surgery in May of last year, making it difficult for him to pitch in the first half of the year. It is unclear how much Hicks, who has difficulty with ball control, will help the team as a starting pitcher.
'MLB Trade Rumors', which specializes in news about transfers of MLB players, focuses on reinforcing San Francisco's starting lineup, including Hyun-jin Ryu, who is on the free agent market, as well as Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery, and Mike Klee. Binzer, Michael Lorenzen, etc. were mentioned. Ryu Hyun-jin is evaluated as a proven starting pitcher. There is also a possibility that Ryu Hyun-jin and Lee Jeong-hoo will wear the same uniform. 토토사이트