James Naile smiles while re-signing with Kia Tigers, provided by Kia Tigers, Nov. 27. Yonhap

The 2024 Korean baseball champions Kia Tigers announced Wednesday they will bring back ace James Naile for another season.

The Tigers said Naile agreed to a new one-year deal worth up to $1.8 million. He will make $1.2 million in guaranteed salary and received a signing bonus of $400,000. He can make another $200,000 in incentives.

Naile made $700,000 this year, his first in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), while leading the league with a 2.53 ERA in 26 starts. He had a 12-5 record with 138 strikeouts in 149 1/3 innings.

Naile barely qualified for the ERA title — pitchers must throw at least 144 innings — after missing the final month of the season due to a broken jaw. He suffered that injury after taking a line drive to the face on Aug. 24 while working on his third consecutive scoreless outing.

The American right-hander returned in time for Game 1 of the Korean Series on Oct. 21, when he held the Samsung Lions to a run on four hits in five innings for a no-decision in a 5-1 win.

Naile then struck out seven in 5 2/3 innings in Game 4 on Oct. 26 as the Tigers defeated the Lions 9-2. They went on to capture the title in five games.

Naile leaned on his bread-and-butter pitch, his sweeper, to win the ERA crown and also endeared himself to Tigers fans for his valiant comeback after the frightening injury. (Yonhap)