'KBO's First' Departure Morning: "My Dream Was to Play in Korea... I Really Wanted KIA to Reach the Korean Series" — How KIA Tigers Said a Passionate Farewell to the Asian Quota Foreigner

*This content was translated by AI.

KIA Tigers, the only one of the 10th teams to select Australian infielder Jered Dale (26), made the final decision to become the first Asian quota player to be released in the year the KBO League introduced the Asian quota system for the first time in its history. Nevertheless, the KIA organization and the players shared a heartwarming farewell, promising to meet again.

On the 26th, KIA announced, "We have submitted a waiver notice for Asian quota infielder Jered Dale to the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO)." It further added, "Accordingly, KIA plans to sign a new Asian quota player soon."

KIA shared images of its emotional farewell with Dale through its official SNS channel. Dale expressed his deep feelings by hugging each of his KIA teammates one by one.

Standing before the team, Dale said, "It was my dream to play in Korea, and I was happy to be able to play here for a while. Thank you to everyone and the fans. Since we have built such a good relationship, I hope we will meet again in the future." He then added, "I will cheer for you from afar for the rest of the season. I hope you make it to the Korean Series. Thank you for everything," conveying his sincerity to the players.

In an interview with the organization, Dale also told the fans, "Thank you for always supporting us throughout the season. Although it is sad that I am leaving the team, I hope KIA makes it to the Korean Series. I will continue to cheer for you."

Dale first stepped onto the professional stage in 2016 with the Melbourne Aces in Australia's ABL. He also experienced the U.S. market. After signing a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres in 2019, he played a total of six seasons, including two seasons in Triple-A. Last season, he joined the Orix Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) as a developmental foreign player, appearing in 41 games in the Futures League, posting a batting average of 0.297, 35 hits, 2 home runs, 14 RBIs, and 12 runs scored. Dale, who also represented Australia in the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) in March, joined KIA ahead of this season.

He signed with KIA ahead of this season under a contract worth a total of $150,000 (approximately 226 million won). It was a strategic move by KIA to fill the void left by starting shortstop Park Chan-ho, who had moved to another team as a free agent (FA).

His performance was not terribly poor. After the season opener, Dale went on a 15-game consecutive hit streak, setting the second-longest record for consecutive hits by a foreign batter since his debut. However, he also showed many disappointing moments, including defensive instability. At the same time, he fell into a severe batting slump. In particular, in the seven games he played in May, his batting average dropped sharply to just 0.136.

Ultimately, Dale played in 34 regular-season games, recording a batting average of 0.256 (117 at-bats, 30 hits), 1 home run, 4 doubles, 6 RBIs, 20 runs scored, 13 walks, 14 strikeouts, a slugging percentage of 0.316, an on-base percentage of 0.328, an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 0.644, and a batting average with runners in scoring position of 0.174. He committed 9 errors. On the 11th, Dale was ultimately removed from the first-division roster and sent to the minor league.

Earlier, KIA manager Lee Beom-ho, the team's commander, said of Dale, "He is a truly grateful player. Dale holds the bat very short and tries his best to get on base. His determination to hit a hit is impressive. I feel that even among our domestic players, he should be the first to show such a spirit." Dale showed himself to be the most diligent in his approach to baseball.

However, as the team's situation changed, Dale's role gradually diminished. KIA filled the shortstop position left by Dale with domestic rookies such as Park Min, Kim Kyu-sung, and Jung Hyun-chang. Ahead of the game against Kiwoom Heroes at Gocheok Sky Dome on the 26th, Manager Lee said, "If Dale had not been here at the beginning, the team would have struggled. Our infielders have grown, and I feel we can move forward well with these young players."

KIA is considering a pitcher, not a batter, as its new Asian quota player. The most likely replacement to fill Dale's spot is Keisho Shirakawa, who played in the KBO League in 2024. Shirakawa first stepped onto the KBO League stage with SSG Landers last year before moving to Doosan. He appeared in 12 games during the 2024 season, recording 4 wins, 5 losses, and an ERA of 5.65. Over a total of 57 1/3 innings, he allowed 59 hits (6 home runs), issued 33 walks, hit 3 batters, recorded 46 strikeouts, and allowed 41 runs (36 earned runs).

Regarding Shirakawa, Manager Lee stated, "It is currently very difficult to find a competitive (Asian quota) pitcher overseas. Since adapting to a new environment is important, I believe a player who has already experienced the KBO League would be a better choice." A KIA official said, "We are currently negotiating with Shirakawa, but nothing has been officially confirmed yet. We plan to make a formal announcement once remaining procedures, such as medical tests, are completed."

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*This content was translated by AI.