The 'unfortunate foreign player' Estevan Florial lost his job due to being hit by a pitch from Jeong Hae-young in the KIA Tigers game.
The professional baseball Hanwha Eagles designated 'part-time player' Luis Liberato as their final foreign hitter to accompany them for the remainder of the second half before the 10th game of the 2025 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League against the KT Wiz held at Suwon KT Wiz Park on the 19th.
The Hanwha club stated, "We officially signed a contract with Luis Liberato, who joined as a replacement foreign player. Liberato's contract size for the remaining season totals $205,000 (approximately 280 million won)." They noted, "Instead of waiting for the return of Estevan Florial, who is rehabilitating from a finger injury and working on recovering his game sense, we determined that utilizing Liberato, who has strengths in hitting, would benefit the team, and made this decision," in an official announcement.
Florial signed with Hanwha for up to $850,000 (approximately 1.1 billion won) before the 2025 season, dreaming of the Korean Dream. He faced a harsh adjustment period at the start, posting a batting average of .143 in March, but bounced back with a monthly batting average of .300 in April, contributing to Hanwha's rise with a batting average of .271, 8 home runs, 29 RBIs, 36 runs scored, and 13 stolen bases in 65 games.
What cut Florial's wings was an unfortunate injury. It was an opportunity with one out and a runner on second base in the top of the 10th inning against KIA Tigers on June 8. He was strongly hit on his right hand by a 151km fastball from KIA's closer Jeong Hae-young, and a hospital exam revealed that his right pinky finger was fractured, with a recovery prognosis of 6 weeks.
In the midst of a fierce battle for the lead, Hanwha acquired Liberato, who was playing in the Mexican League, as Florial's replacement on June 17. The contract size was $50,000 (approximately 69 million won) for 6 weeks.
Liberato began writing a success story as a replacement foreign player with remarkable adaptability. From his debut on June 22, he piled up 3 hits and followed it up with a batting average of .400 in 6 games in June, maintaining momentum with a batting average of .366, 1 home run, and 8 RBIs in July.
Liberato's record for 16 games included a batting average of .379 (25 hits in 66 at-bats), 2 home runs, 13 RBIs, slugging percentage of .561, on-base percentage of .431, and OPS of .992. Consequently, Hanwha deliberated over the choice between Liberato, whose contract expired on the 25th, and the existing foreign player Florial, ultimately choosing to continue with Liberato.
The Hanwha club explained, "After sufficient discussions with the field and front office, we made this decision. Liberato has played a catalytic role in the lineup, and he brings good energy, uplifting the team atmosphere. He has performed well in both offense and defense since his debut in the KBO League as a professional center fielder, and we expect good performance in the remaining period."
The deadline for Hanwha's final decision on the foreign hitter was the 25th, the expiration date of Liberato's contract. But why choose to announce early? Hanwha stated, "We wanted to reduce stress for both players. In Florial's case, we needed to make a decision as soon as possible so that he could find a new team and continue playing baseball in Korea or the United States."
He added, "Florial respected and understood the team’s decision. It was an inevitable conversation where both sides felt disappointment, but he accepted it like a professional."
On the 19th, manager Kim Kyung-moon, met on the field, said, "One side was waiting, and the other was in a state of unease. I judged that it would be better for any player leaving to make a decision quickly to pursue another opportunity. The player who hasn't made a decision might go to another team," and expressed, "I have a lot of gratitude for Florial. I also feel sorry. We had to make this decision during the season, and I appreciate everything from Florial since the beginning until now. He is leaving the team, but I hope he does well wherever he goes."
On the other hand, Liberato successfully proved his worth in just 16 games and secured a full-time title. Manager Kim Kyung-moon praised him saying, "Isn't that the pro world? He adapted well in a short time. No matter how much we talk and explain in international competitions, ultimately, it's the players who have to play the games. However, Liberato fought well against pitchers he met for the first time in a short period. That's why we chose him."
Meanwhile, the now full-time Liberato made a strong impact on the first day of his full contract on the 19th against KT, going 3 for 4 with 2 runs scored, meeting Hanwha's expectations.
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