Last year, left-handed pitcher Dietrich Enns (34·Detroit Tigers), who pitched for the LG Twins in the KBO League, achieved victory in Major League Baseball. This marked his first winning start since his debut, after 1,379 days.

Enns took the mound as a starter on the 27th (Korea Standard Time) in a home game against the 2025 Major League Athletics at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan, throwing 5 innings with 1 hit, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts, leading Detroit to an 8-0 rout.

Enns, who had a strong season with the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens, achieving 2 wins and 2 losses with an earned run average of 2.89 in 14 games (62⅓ innings) with 71 strikeouts, seized the opportunity to pitch in the Major Leagues for the first time in four years due to reliever Rhyse Olsen being placed on the injured list with a right finger inflammation.

Starting with a clean slate, Enns had a perfect beginning with a three-up, three-down in the first inning. In the third inning, he faced a crisis with runners on first and second base, but after getting Jacob Wilson to fly out to right field, he induced Brent Rooker into a 5-4-3 double play, escaping without any runs. After showing stability with consecutive three-up, three-down innings in the fourth and fifth, Enns completed his starter duties with a total of 77 pitches. Relying mainly on his fastball at a peak of 94.5 mph (152.1 km/h) and averaging 93.1 mph (149.8 km/h), he mixed in changeups (23), cutters (8), curves (7), and sinks (2) for a successful return to Major League Baseball.

Having last been a winning pitcher in the Major Leagues on September 17, 2021, against Detroit while belonging to the Tampa Bay Rays, Enns noted in interviews with local media, including "MLB Network," that he was "really happy to be able to pitch in a Major League baseball stadium, and I’m glad to fulfill my role," while smiling brightly.

Enns, who recorded 2 wins and 2 saves with an earned run average of 3.42 in 11 games (1 start and 26⅓ innings) over two Major League seasons with the Minnesota Twins in 2017 and Tampa Bay in 2021, spent three years in Asia starting in 2022. After playing two years for the Seibu Lions in Japan from 2022 to 2023, he was with LG in Korea for a year last year. Despite recording 13 wins and 6 losses with an earned run average of 4.19 and 157 strikeouts in 30 games (167⅔ innings) last year, he had an unsatisfactory performance as a first starter and failed to re-sign, later signing a minor league contract with Detroit.

"I had the opportunity to play in Asia and I learned a lot there. I worked hard every day to become a better pitcher, and that’s what made me who I am now," he reflected. "Both Japan and Korea were amazing experiences for me. The two leagues are a bit different, but there are many excellent players. In Asia, there are high expectations for foreign players, and once it’s your turn to pitch, you must keep throwing. I learned how to face batters I encountered several times, and going to Asia helped me become a more complete pitcher. When I first went to Asia, I relied on just two pitches, but now I can rely on more. Playing in Asia was a really good opportunity, and I still appreciate it."

Questions also arose about whether food in Korea or Japan was better. Enns said, "That’s a tough question. My favorite food is sushi, so I’ll choose Japan. There is the best sushi in Japan. You can get the best sushi even in a small restaurant on an alley. The Korean barbecue was also the best."

After signing a minor league contract with Detroit in January, there was also a significant change. With the suggestion of Gabe Ribas, the pitching director of the Detroit Tigers, he successfully incorporated the trendy "kick changeup". The kick changeup, which involves bending at the waist while throwing, is suitable for outside-rotating pitchers who rotate their arms outward, and it fit Enns well.

Enns said, "I felt from the beginning that Detroit is a good organization. They have an excellent pitcher development system. There is a willingness to improve pitchers, regardless of age." By also adjusting the grip and release of his slider, Enns added more diversity and achieved his first Major League winning start at the relatively late age of 34.

On that day, more than 20 family members and acquaintances of Enns watched the victory from the stands. There were family members who came from Illinois, as well as college friends from Detroit who took a day off from work to visit the stadium. Reflecting his long journey, the group that gathered to cheer for him wore a variety of shirts ranging from Central Michigan University polo shirts to Seibu uniforms. Enns smiled, saying, "It’s a much closer distance than Japan or Korea."

Detroit manager A.J. Hinch said, "Enns connected deeply with our pitching group. He didn’t just repeat the same things, but made new attempts. I’m sure he was excited for his return that was over 1,000 days in the making, yet he maintained calmness and pitched excellently. I send my praise to everyone who has been with him up to this point. Whether in the bullpen or as a starter, he has shown that he deserves to be back on the mound," revealing future utilization plans.

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