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Chicago Cubs showing plenty of interest in Japan this winter
While news abounds at the possibility of outfielder about Chicago rumors Shogo Akiyama, a new star is wanting to join Major League Baseball in 2020, and it is said the Chicago Cubs have expressed some level of interest on his availability.
In the last two weeks, reports have surfaced of two Japanese baseball stars wishing for the opportunity to make their presence felt in MLB this next season. Seibu Lions outfielder Shogo Akiyama was the first of the pair. Now, its the star pitcher of the SK Wyverns, Kwang-Hyun Kim.
For Cubs fans, it should be no surprise to hear the clubs’ intrigue with the newest batch of Japanese baseball stars. In 2007 it was Kosuke Fukudome, the first Japanese player for the franchise and a prospective superstar who unfortunately never quite lived up to the hype.
In 2013 it was a relief pitcher by the name of Kyuji Fujikawa. Fujikawa failed to live up to the hype much worse than Fukudome, and his Cubs career ended after a total of 26 2/3 innings in two seasons. In 2014 another pitcher emerged in Tsuyoshi Wada, who faired well with a career 3.36 ERA over 20 starts. Now, its Kim. While the level of interest remains to be seen, let’s dive into Kim’s Japanese career to sift through what Kim can bring to the Cubs.
Chicago Cubs Rumors: A star on the other side of the world
Kim began his professional baseball career when he was just 18 years old. In his rookie season, Kim was already close to a decade younger than that of the average player in the Korean Baseball Organization. As a teenager, Kim joined the SK Wyverns.
During his inaugural year in the KBO, Kim faired seemingly well. He appeared in 20 games while making 13 starts. In that span of 77 innings, Kim finished with a 3.62 ERA and 52 strikeouts. It was the start of a pitching star.
In each of his next three seasons, Kim finished with ERA’s of 2.39, 2.80, and 2.37, respectively. Over two of those seasons, in 2008 and 2010, Kim finished with 150+ strikeouts, including a career-high of 183 in 2010 as a 21-year-old.
The 2011 and 2012 seasons were rough ones for Kim. His ERA ballooned out of control, and everything seemed to fall apart. The following season was the same story. Kim finished the year with a 4.47 ERA in 22 starts. Kim’s strikeouts bounced back in a big way. However, it was a problematic direction in which to travel.
Chicago Cubs Rumors: Piecing the puzzle together once again
Things began to turn back around for Kim in the 2014 season finally. Kim made 28 starts and dropped his ERA down to a respectable 3.42, all the while bringing his strikeout numbers steadily up back to where he was before.
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The 2015 and 2016 seasons were perpetuated by inconsistency, and Kim once again struggled on the mound. While it was not nearly as bad as the previous few seasons, there were still too many challenges standing in Kim’s way.
In 2017, Kim received the vaunted Tommy John surgery. It did, however, seem to turn him into a brand new pitcher. The 2018 season for Kim was fantastic. He started 25 games and finished the year with a 2.98 ERA. Last season, Kim took another giant leap forward, starting 30 games and posting a 2.51 ERA. He reached his highest inning count since 2010 and saw a drop in his walks.
As he is still under control with the SK Wyverns, Kim will be undergoing the formal posting process. This means that if and when a team signs him officially, they will pay a ‘release fee’ based on a specific percentage of his total contract guarantee. It remains to be seen what that will be.
Cubs acquire Jharel Cotton from A's. dark. Next
The Cubs are in dire need of help both in the pen and in the starting rotation. Knowing this and hearing the rumblings, there is a chance Chicago makes a run at the lefty. For now, however, it is a wait-and-see process.