Lotte Giants' new foreign pitcher Alec Gambóa has finally made an appearance.

Gambóa showcased himself by throwing in the bullpen before the home game against the Samsung Lions at Busan's Sajik Baseball Stadium on the 18th.

Gambóa, signed as a replacement player for Charlie Barnes, who was released due to damage to his left shoulder's teres minor muscle, made a contract with Lotte on the 14th for aggregates of $330,000 (a salary of $300,000 and incentives of $30,000). The transfer fee is $100,000.

On this day, catchers Yoo Kang-nam and Jeong Bo-geun were present during the bullpen session to check Gambóa's physical condition and pitching.

A club official noted, “At 185 cm in height and 92 kg in weight, he is a left-handed pitcher with extensive starting experience, and his ability to throw with an average speed of 151 km from a high release point is a significant advantage.” They added, “We expect him to demonstrate competitiveness in the KBO League based on his fast velocity, slider, and changeup.”

Although Gambóa does not have Major League experience, he was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 9th round of the 2019 Major League Draft and has been honing his skills in the minors. He has played a total of 131 games (41 starts) in the minors, throwing 359 and two-thirds innings, with a record of 28 wins and 22 losses and an earned run average (ERA) of 4.23. In Triple-A, he pitched 133 and one-third innings over 53 games (17 starts) recording 5 wins and 12 losses, an ERA of 3.92, with 106 strikeouts and 72 walks.

While his control may be somewhat lacking, he is characterized as a pitcher who overwhelms batters with power. In his most recent Triple-A appearance, he recorded a maximum fastball velocity of 95.5 miles per hour (about 153.7 km) and an average of 94.3 miles per hour (about 151.8 km). His sinker was even more powerful, recording a maximum of 96.4 miles per hour (about 155.1 km) and an average of 94.4 miles per hour (about 151.9 km).

Gambóa is currently going through the final procedures for visa issuance and plans to coordinate his KBO first team debut schedule as soon as the process is complete.

Lotte hopes Gambóa will quickly acclimate to the team and become a key force in the second half of the season.

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