This season, foreign player Lewin Diaz of the Samsung Lions, who is leading in three categories with 27 home runs, 79 RBIs, and a slugging percentage of 0.997, shared his thoughts on joining a team with new foreign pitcher Herson Garavito.

The right-handed Garavito, who is from the Dominican Republic, became a new member of Samsung as a substitute for Denny Reyes, who left the team due to a minor fracture in his right foot. Based on his impressive physical condition, standing at 183 cm tall and weighing 100 kg, he has strengths in various pitches, including a powerful four-seam fastball with an average velocity of 151.4 km, as well as a two-seam fastball, curveball, changeup, and slider.

He has appeared in a total of 21 Major League games, recording 2 losses with an earned run average of 5.77 and a WHIP of 1.49. In the minor leagues, he mainly played as a starting pitcher, achieving a record of 30 wins and 54 losses with an earned run average of 3.76 and a WHIP of 1.32 over 175 games (146 as a starter).

Garavito said immediately after signing the contract, "I am very happy to be with a new team. It is a new experience for myself as well. I do not know much about the KBO League, but I played with Diaz in the Dominican Republic, and I also have some understanding of Huerfano. I will strive to win every game for the Lions fans. I will do my best for the team's victory."

What kind of player does Diaz remember Garavito to be? He noted, "It was not very precise since it was two years ago, but I remember meeting him as a pitcher in the Dominican Republic."

He added, "He threw sinkers, changeups, and sliders to me, and I remember him as a pitcher with great movement. At that time, his sinker was clocked at 96 mph (around 154.49 km), so I remember him as a really good pitcher."

Diaz also predicted, "Garavito is truly a type of pitcher I wouldn't want to face. I am very happy to be on the same team as Garavito. I remember him as a very good pitcher, so he will be a great help to the team."

The first success requirement for foreign players is cultural adaptation. No matter how outstanding their skills are, if they cannot adapt to the culture, they face the risk of early dismissal. There are many cases of major players who made a name for themselves in the big leagues leaving with disappointing results on the domestic stage.

For Garavito, who finds the Asian stage unfamiliar, Diaz is a very reassuring presence. Diaz said, "Of course, I will help Garavito with his adaptation, but Huerfano, who plays the same position, has a lot of experience in the KBO League and will be able to help him even more."

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