I saved my hope to go to KBO' Kiwoom's last KS player confirmed to stay in Taiwan for 4 consecutive years! Contract with Rakuten

*This content was translated by AI.

Tyler Appler (33), who is currently the main character of the Kiwoom Heroes' last Korean Series (KS), has saved hope for going to the KBO League.

The Rakuten Monkeys officially announced the recruitment of Appler on the club's SNS on the 5th. Having played for the Fubang Guardians in 2023 and the Weiquan Dragons for two years from 2024, he has confirmed his stay in the Taiwan Professional Baseball (CPBL) for four consecutive years.

Appler signed a contract with Kiwoom for a total of $400,000 in 2022 and was called a cost-effective outsider. Fast balls exceeding 150 kilometers per hour, various breaking balls, and compliance with ball control were evaluated as advantages. However, with 6 wins and 8 losses and an ERA of 4.30 and 86 strikeouts in 140 ⅓ innings in 33 games, his regular season performance was just as good as his salary.

Kiwoom's expected performance came from the postseason. Starting with KT Wiz and one run (0 earned run) in five innings in the semi-playoff, he played a decisive role in going to the Korean Series for the first time in three years with two games, one win, one loss, 2.00 ERA, and three strikeouts in nine innings in the playoffs with the LG Twins.

In the SSG Landers and the Korean Series, he took the mound after a four-day break and became a losing pitcher with five runs in five innings in the second game. However, in Game 6, the last game, he gave his team a lead with two runs (zero earned) in five innings, ending the game.

CPBL is one of the places KBO League teams pay attention to when recruiting short-term alternative foreign pitchers. This is because many foreign pitchers with KBO league experience are playing and the league environment is similar, so there is no need to worry about adaptation.

Appler also played in the CPBL for three consecutive years and maintained his compliance skills. Taiwanese media outlet CPBL Stats said, "Appler has consistently performed well in CPBL over the past few seasons. This is an important factor in recruiting foreign players," he explained.

"Last year, he played 115 innings in 21 regular-season games, marking an ERA of 3.21. There is a slight decline compared to the previous season, and many records are close to the league average, he said, but he is still a competent and reliable pitcher. His durability and excellent 4.9% walk rate still stand out," he added.

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*This content was translated by AI.