The outline of foreign pitcher Brandon Waddell’s return to Korea has been outlined, with the right-hander set to join the Doosan Bears on the mound.
“Brandon will arrive in Korea on the 21st and pitch in the bullpen on the 22nd,” Doosan head coach Lee Seung-yeop said before 메이저놀이터 the Bears’ fifth game of the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League against the SSG Landers at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Tuesday, “and as previously planned, he will start this Saturday (24th) against the Kiwoom Heroes.”
Brandon is a left-handed pitcher with a physical build of 188 centimeters and 85 kilograms. Last year, he replaced Ariel Miranda, who was sidelined with an injury, in the 2022 season and posted a solid record of 5-3 with a 3.60 ERA in 11 games in a Doosan uniform.
His KBO career appeared to be over when he was unable to re-sign with Doosan ahead of this season, but he was given another chance when Dylan Pyle, who Doosan signed to replace Brandon, was sidelined with an injury, giving Brandon and Doosan “season two” together.
Brandon’s physical condition and pitches are ready for immediate action. This year, he pitched for the Rakuten Monkeys of the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL), going 5-4 with a 2.69 ERA in 11 games and 67 innings.
Brandon, who is currently in Japan, will arrive at Incheon International Airport on May 21, after issues with his work visa were resolved. With no time difference and a short travel distance, he should have no problem pitching out of the bullpen the day after stepping foot on Korean soil.
Doosan hasn’t fielded a “complete” starting rotation since the start of the season. Ace Raul Alcantara has struggled, but the starting rotation as a whole has lacked stability. If Brandon can deliver even a fraction of what he did for Doosan last year, it could give Lee some breathing room on the mound.