Ex-MLB pitcher Ben Lively re-signs with KBO's Samsung Lions

All News 18:32 December 18, 2019

SEOUL, Dec. 18 (Yonhap) -- Former major league pitcher Ben Lively will be back in South Korea for another season.

The Samsung Lions of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) announced Wednesday that they've re-signed Lively to a one-year deal with a guaranteed salary of US$500,000 and a signing bonus of $200,000. The right-hander can make an additional $250,000 in incentives.

In this file photo from Sept. 15, 2019, Ben Lively of the Samsung Lions pitches against the NC Dinos in the bottom of the third inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Changwon NC Park in Changwon, 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)

Lively, with 26 big league games to his credit, joined the Lions in August to replace Deck McGuire in the rotation. In nine starts, Lively went 4-4 with a 3.95 ERA, with 58 strikeouts in 57 innings.

The Lions said they liked Lively's ability to miss bats with his fastball and other complementary pitches, and they were looking forward to having him in their rotation for the full season.

Lively said his goal is to win at least 15 games and lower his ERA to below 3.00 in 2020.

KBO teams can sign up to three foreign players, with a maximum two pitchers, and the Lions were the only team to carry one import pitcher during the second half of last season, with Lively on the mound and Darin Ruf and Mac Williamson in the lineup.

jeeho@yna.co.kr
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