| Samsung Lions starter Albert Suarez pitches against the LG Twins during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in the southeastern city of Daegu, Aug. 6, in this photo provided by the Lions. Yonhap |
The Samsung Lions announced Thursday they have released injured pitcher Albert Suarez and replaced him with a recently-waived Taylor Widener.
The Lions parted ways with Suarez after the Venezuelan right-hander suffered left calf injury during his most recent start on Sunday. The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) club said Suarez would be out for four weeks and instead of waiting out the rehab, they went out and signed Widener, who was released by another KBO club, NC Dinos, last Friday.
Suarez went 6-8 with a 2.49 ERA in 30 starts last season. In 19 starts this year, Suarez went 4-7 and had a 3.92 ERA, with the Lions languishing in last place at 40-56-1 (wins-losses-ties).
Widener was cut by the Dinos a day after one of his best outings of the season, as he held the Lotte Giants to a run on four hits in a season-high seven innings. Widener struck out eight and walked none, improving to 4-2 with a 4.52 ERA in 11 starts this year. But the Dinos decided to go in another direction as they try to stay in the postseason hunt, and signed former major leaguer Tanner Tully.
Their acquisition of Widener will be finalized Friday because at least seven days must pass before a waived player can join another club in the KBO.
They were in fourth place at 49-44-1 through Wednesday's action. (Yonhap)