Until last year, left-handed pitcher Brandon Waddell (31), who played for the Doosan Bears in the KBO League, has embarked on a major league comeback with the New York Mets. He spent three years in Korea but seems to have had some regrets.
Brandon, who signed a minor league contract with the Mets and joined spring training as an invited player, pitched in two exhibition games, including one start. On the 26th of last month (Korea time), he made a start against the Houston Astros, pitching 1⅓ innings with 2 hits allowed, 1 walk, 1 hit batter, and 2 earned runs (unearned). On the 3rd, he appeared in relief against the Boston Red Sox, allowing 3 hits, 1 walk, and 2 earned runs in 2 innings while recording 1 strikeout. His earned run average is 5.40.
The U.S. publication The Athletic noted on the 3rd that among players not included on the 40-man roster, one who might help the Mets' bullpen is Brandon. They believe he could be a player who moves between the major and minor leagues during the season. With minor league options remaining, Brandon can be added or removed from the roster without significant burden for the Mets.
The Athletic reported that 'over the past three seasons, Brandon pitched in the KBO and sought a major league team where he could maximize his abilities last winter. That team was the Mets.'
Brandon said, 'It's really a great place for a pitcher. You might have heard about the pitchers who have developed their skills working with the coaching staff here. That has been significant for me,' adding, 'I have been overseas for a long time, and there hasn't been much like this. Receiving this kind of feedback is something I really wanted for my team.'
Merrill Kelly (Arizona Diamondbacks), Eric Fedde (St. Louis Cardinals), and other representative foreign players who returned from the KBO have reported good experiences upon returning to the U.S., but Brandon did not experience the same. It seems he did not feel any development as a pitcher.
Brandon made his major league debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2020 and played for the Minnesota Twins, Baltimore Orioles, and St. Louis Cardinals, accumulating a total of 11 games (12⅔ innings) with 1 loss and an earned run average of 5.68 through the 2021 season. After failing to achieve notable results, he joined Doosan as a substitute player in July 2022.
He delivered respectable numbers with a record of 5 wins, 3 losses, and an earned run average of 3.60 over 11 games (65 innings), but he failed to make a significant impact and did not secure a re-signing. In 2023, he signed with the Rakuten Monkeys in Taiwan and performed well, achieving 5 wins and 5 losses with an earned run average of 3.30 over 12 games (71 innings). In June of that year, he returned to Doosan as a substitute player. He excelled with a record of 11 wins, 3 losses, and an earned run average of 2.49 over 18 games (104⅔ innings) and succeeded in re-signing. He was the first foreign pitcher in Doosan history to join the team as a substitute and achieve more than 10 wins.
His total worth rose significantly to $1.13 million, but he had a disappointing season last year. Despite a solid record of 7 wins, 4 losses, and an earned run average of 3.12 with 75 strikeouts over 14 games (75 innings), injuries negatively affected the team. He was sidelined for three weeks due to back pain in April, and during the first game of a doubleheader against Samsung in Daegu on June 23, he voluntarily left the game in the third inning. He was diagnosed with a partial tear of the left shoulder scapula and received a six-week rehabilitation prognosis.
However, Brandon could not return by the end of the season. After resting for six weeks due to his initial injury and pitching in the bullpen twice, five weeks passed without any progress. He repeatedly experienced pain during rehabilitation, delaying recovery and ultimately resulting in being ruled out for the season. The foreign pitcher who was brought in as injury replacement, Keisho Shirakawa, also struggled with poor performance and injuries and did not contribute significantly, leaving Doosan to fight the season with only one foreign pitcher late in the race. They entered the fall baseball in fourth place but fell victim to an upset in the wild card round, losing two consecutive games to fifth-place KT.
He was a key factor in Doosan's season downfall, and remarks indicating that he did not receive feedback in Korea and had limited opportunities for development have not been well received. Considering that his performance improved after coming to Korea and his worth increased, it becomes even more difficult to understand.
Brandon, who achieved excellent numbers with 23 wins and 10 losses, an earned run average of 2.98, and 215 strikeouts over 43 games (244⅔ innings) in Korea over three years, is expected to have his major league comeback hinge on the status of his shoulder. The Athletic noted, 'Brandon missed the second half of last season due to a shoulder injury. This spring, he is focusing on reacclimating to facing hitters. As the season progresses, he needs to accurately assess what adjustments need to be made.' Recovery from the injury and restoring his game sense will be crucial.
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