Two starters for Bears shortlisted for KBO's top player award for Oct.

All News 14:06 November 02, 2020

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- The top two starting pitchers for the Doosan Bears have been shortlisted for the top player award for October in South Korean baseball.

The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) announced five candidates for the Player of the Month award for October, the final month of the regular season.

In this file photo from Oct. 20, 2020, Chris Flexen of the Doosan Bears pitches against the Lotte Giants in the bottom of the first inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Sajik Stadium in Busan, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)

Right-handers Chris Flexen and Raul Alcantara, the one-two punch at the top of the Bears' rotation, headline the list.

Flexen, who'd missed time earlier in the year with injury, capped off his first KBO season with a 4-0 record and a league-best 0.85 ERA in five October starts. He struck out 42 in just 31 2/3 innings to also lead the league in October.

Alcantara won all six October starts while posting a 1.34 ERA. He had 41 strikeouts in 40 1/3 innings. He led all pitchers in wins in October and finished second behind Flexen in ERA and strikeouts. Alcantara won his final regular season start last Friday to finish with the league-high 20 wins for the season.

Raul Alcantara of the Doosan Bears pitches against the Kiwoom Heroes during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Oct. 30, 2020. (Yonhap)

Three hitters have also been nominated, including winners from June and September, KT Wiz outfielder Mel Rojas Jr. and NC Dinos catcher Yang Eui-ji. Kia Tigers outfielder Choi Hyoung-woo is the other candidate for October.

Rojas batted .388/.480/.788 with nine homers, 24 RBIs and 23 runs scored. He led all batters in runs, on-base and slugging percentages, and came in second in batting average and RBI.

Mel Rojas Jr. of the KT Wiz (L) celebrates his RBI single against the Hanwha Eagles during the top of the first inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Hanwha Life Eagles Park in Daejeon, 160 kilometers south of Seoul, on Oct. 29, 2020. (Yonhap)

Yang belted out 10 home runs in October to tie for the KBO lead, while slashing .341/.402/.704.

Choi clinched the batting title by batting a league-best .400 in October. He also hit 10 homers and drove in the league-best 32 runs.

Choi Hyoung-woo of the Kia Tigers tosses his bat after hitting a two-run home run against the KT Wiz during the bottom of the first inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul, on Oct. 28, 2020. (Yonhap)

A combination of media votes and online fan votes will determine the winner, to be announced Sunday. The winner will receive 2 million won (US$1,760) in prize money and a gold bar worth 600,000 won, courtesy of the league's title sponsor, Shinhan Bank.