Cardinals sign Korean left-hander Kwang-hyun Kim to two-year deal
ST. LOUIS — Two years after bringing starter Miles Mikolas back stateside following a three-year stint in Japan, the Cardinals are again dipping into the international talent pool in an attempt to boost their rotation.
The Cardinals announced Tuesday that they have signed 31-year-old left-hander Gwang-hyun Kim to a two-year deal. Financial terms were not immediately disclosed. The starter pitched for SK Wyverns of the Korean Baseball Organization from 2007-19, missing the entire 2017 campaign after having Tommy John surgery. Over 12 seasons, Kim posted a 3.27 ERA while averaging 7.8 strikeouts and 3.5 walks per nine innings. He was dominant in 2019, going 17-6 over 31 appearances (30 starts) while throwing for a 2.51 ERA with 180 strikeouts and 38 walks over 190 1/3 innings.
Kim is expected to compete for a spot in the Cardinals’ rotation, which is expected to include Mikolas, Jack Flaherty, Dakota Hudson and Adam Wainwright, with Austin Gomber, Carlos Martínez, Daniel Ponce de Leon and Alex Reyes among the other pitchers competing for the fifth spot. Kim expressed a willingness to pitch out of the bullpen if needed at Tuesday’s press conference and could be a valuable addition to the Cards’ left-handed relief group, which already includes Génesis Cabrera, Andrew Miller and Tyler Webb.
