Cardinals' Kim Kwang-hyun set for 2nd spring start

SEOUL, March 2 (Yonhap) -- St. Louis Cardinals' South Korean pitcher Kim Kwang-hyun is slated to make his second spring training start this week, another opportunity to move closer to a spot in the rotation.

The Cardinals announced on their website on Sunday (local time) that Kim will face the visiting Minnesota Twins at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Jupiter, Florida, at 1:05 p.m. Monday, or 3:05 a.m. Tuesday in Seoul.

The left-hander will throw three innings or 50 pitches, and will be followed by another southpaw competing for a rotation spot, Genesis Cabrera, for three more innings.

Kim, 31, is in his first big league camp after spending 13 years as a starter with the SK Wyverns in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO). Kim signed a two-year, US$8 million deal with the Cardinals in December, with an understanding that he would get every opportunity to win a starting job but he could also end up in the bullpen.

Kim made his spring training debut in relief on Feb. 22 against the New York Mets and struck out two and walked one in one scoreless inning. Kim made 19 pitches, 14 of them for strikes

His first preseason start came four days later against the Miami Marlins. Kim tossed two more scoreless frames, striking out three while not allowing any hits or walks. He threw 18 of his 29 pitches for strikes.

The 2008 KBO regular season MVP is in a battle for one of two rotation spots that need to be filled at the start of the regular season. The Cardinals are returning Jack Flaherty, Adam Wainwright and Dakota Hudson from last year's rotation. Miles Mikolas, another starter from 2019, developed elbow problems at the start of camp and will miss the beginning of the regular season.

Carlos Martinez, a former staff ace who closed for the Cardinals in 2019, is eyeing a return to the rotation. In his second spring start on Saturday, the right-hander held the Washington Nationals without a hit in three innings, while striking out four and walking three.

Austin Gomber, another left-hander in the mix, struck out four in three scoreless innings on Sunday against the Houston Astros.

jeeho@yna.co.kr
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