'How could this happen!' A six-week contract for a foreign replacement, yet he can't even enter the country, and already half the time has been wasted. "Rosenberg's visa is still pending" — Kiwoom's anxious wait.

*This content was translated by AI.

Kiwoom Heroes' newly acquired "injury replacement foreign left-handed pitcher" Kenny Rosenberg (31) is joining later than expected, deepening the club's concerns. More than two weeks have passed since the acquisition announcement, yet there has been no news of his arrival, meaning a significant portion of the short-term contract has already slipped away.

Kiwoom announced on April 21 that it had signed Rosenberg to a $50,000 contract to replace Nathan Weis (28), who was sidelined due to a shoulder injury. However, administrative procedures have become a hurdle. As of May 7, his visa has not yet been issued, and Rosenberg remains in the United States.

Kiwoom manager Seol Jong-jin (53) shared Rosenberg's situation during a press meeting ahead of the Samsung Lions game at Daegu Samsung Lions Park on the 6th. When asked about Rosenberg, Manager Seol said, "It appears his visa has not yet been issued, making it difficult to set arrival and joining schedules," expressing his frustration.

A Kiwoom club official added, "The visa number has now been issued, and the application process is complete. Once it arrives, Rosenberg will travel directly to Los Angeles to obtain the visa before entering Korea." Both the club and the player are in a frustrating position, simply waiting endlessly for the visa to be issued. In this situation, the player and the club are communicating closely and striving to resolve the issue effectively.

However, a bigger problem is that Rosenberg is designated as an "injury replacement player." Regulations allow him to play only during the six-week rehabilitation period of the original player. Exactly 16 days have already passed since the acquisition announcement. Considering the time needed for acclimatization after arrival and the final procedures to receive the work visa, the actual time remaining for him to take the mound is less than a month. Nearly half of the six-week contract period is being wasted on administrative procedures.

Given the urgency, Kiwoom plans to immediately deploy Rosenberg to the first division upon his arrival. Manager Seol stated on April 30 at Sajik Stadium, "Once Rosenberg arrives, we will assess his training condition and have him pitch in the first division right away. We intend to skip the Futures League, check only his physical condition, and have him join the starting rotation immediately." However, since he is a player recovering from a hip injury last season, there is also a possibility that the player will be approached with extra caution.

Moreover, Kiwoom's starting rotation situation is deteriorating. Although they gave 'ace' Raul Alcantara (34) a rest for about one turn, domestic starter Ha Young-min (31) is expected to miss about two turns due to symptoms of pyoderma. For now, on the 7th, left-handed pitcher Park Jeong-hoon (30), who has been active in the winning relief corps, will start as an 'opener' in Ha Young-min's turn.

Park Jeong-hoon has appeared in 14 games this season with a record of 1 win, 0 losses, 6 holds, and an ERA of 2.70, making him a top-tier bullpen resource in the league. However, he has not appeared since the the 2nd game against Doosan at Gocheok (2 innings, scoreless). It is interpreted that he was internally designated as a starter well in advance.

Kiwoom, having wasted a precious half-month of its "six-week contract" due to visa issues, now waits to see if Rosenberg, who will join late, can become the savior of the collapsed starting rotation with powerful pitching that compensates for the lost time. The Heroes' anxious wait continues.

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*This content was translated by AI.