LG Twins bring back starter Casey Kelly for 4th KBO season

All News 16:41 December 12, 2021

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean baseball club LG Twins announced Sunday they will bring back right-hander Casey Kelly for his fourth season.

The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) team signed the 32-year-old American to a new one-year deal worth up to US$1.5 million -- $1.2 million in guaranteed salary and a maximum $300,000 in incentives.

In this file photo from Nov. 5, 2021, LG Twins' starter Casey Kelly pitches against the Doosan Bears during the bottom of the fifth inning in Game 2 of the first round in the Korea Baseball Organization postseason at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. (Yonhap)

Kelly went 13-8 with a 3.15 ERA in 30 starts this year, while making $1.4 million.

Kelly made his KBO debut with the Twins in 2019 and has been one of the league's most consistent starters since. From 2019 to 2021, Kelly is second among KBO starters in wins (42), ERA (3.00), strikeouts (402) and innings pitched (530 2/3).

Kelly is in the midst of a league-record streak of 57 starts with at least five innings pitched.

The Twins signed former big league right-hander Adam Plutko on Friday. KBO clubs can only have up to two foreign pitchers, and Kelly's signing on Sunday means left-hander Andrew Suarez will not be back with the Twins in 2022.

Suarez went 10-2 with a 2.18 ERA in 23 starts, while missing time with biceps and upper back injuries.