The LG Twins of the Korea Baseball Group have signed right-hander Yonny Chirinos, per Dan Kurtz of MyKBO.internet and Jiheon Pae (X hyperlink). It had beforehand been reported by XSportsNews reporter Kim Geun-han and relayed by Kurtz (X hyperlink). The righty will earn $1MM in 2025, within the type of a $200K signing bonus and $800K wage.
Chirinos, 31, as soon as appeared like a possible rotation constructing block for the Rays. Over the 2018 and 2019 seasons, he tossed 223 innings, permitting 3.71 earned runs per 9. He struck out 21% of batters confronted, walked simply 5.9% of opponents and saved the ball on the bottom at a 43.5% clip.
However elbow troubles turned the story for a number of years and he hasn’t been capable of get again on observe since. He solely made three main league appearances in 2020, requiring Tommy John surgical procedure in August of that 12 months. He missed all the 2021 marketing campaign whereas recovering. Whereas attempting to get again from that process, he was additional delayed by an elbow fracture. He wasn’t activated off the IL till September of 2022, over two years after going beneath the knife, making two appearances on the finish of that season.
He’s been again on the mound for the previous two years however hasn’t been capable of get again to his earlier stage of efficiency. He has a 5.63 ERA in 115 innings over the 2 most up-to-date large league seasons, together with his strikeout fee at simply 15.3% in that point. He needed to accept a minor league take care of the Marlins going into 2024 and was solely on their roster for a few month from the center of June to the center of July.
Had Chirinos stayed in North America, he certainly would have been restricted to a different minor league deal someplace. Even when he made it again onto a serious league roster in 2025, he doubtless would have been restricted to a wage someplace across the $760K league minimal.
By heading abroad, he has unlocked a bit more cash and presumably a bit extra job safety. If he can benefit from his alternative with the Twins, maybe he can take one other crack at North American ball down the road.
