"100% Influenced by My Korean Wife" — Was 158 km/h New Foreign Investor LG's Fate? Cheers Explode with Every Pitch... "I Still Have More to Show"

*This content was translated by AI.

LG Twins' new foreign pitcher Yacel Larios (33) made a powerful KBO debut with explosive pitching.

On the 10th, Larios took the mound in the bottom of the 6th inning at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium during the home game against SSG Landers in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular season. He pitched one inning, allowing one hit, no walks, and recording one strikeout in a scoreless performance, contributing to LG's 8-6 comeback victory.

This was Larios's debut in the KBO and his first appearance before home fans. Larios signed a contract worth a total of $450,000 on the 3rd, replacing Yoni Chirinos (33) to join LG. He arrived in the country on the 5th, obtained a work visa in Japan on the 9th, and re-entered the country, leaving him little time to rest.

Despite this, his pitching was phenomenal. With LG leading 6-5, Larios took the mound in the bottom of the 6th and faced Park Sung-han, the leadoff batter. Against Park Sung-han, he threw two consecutive 158 km/h (based on the scoreboard) fastballs from the first pitch, drawing cheers from the home fans. On the third pitch, a 146 km/h forkball dropped sharply, causing Park Sung-han's bat to swing in vain, eliciting another round of applause.

Larios then retired Park Sung-han with a fly ball to right field. He subsequently allowed a double to Jung Jun-jae. However, he retired Heredia with a fly ball to center field on the first pitch and struck out Kim Jae-hwan on the third pitch, finishing the inning without allowing a run. LG maintained the lead afterward, and Larios earned his first hold.

After the game, Larios met with reporters and said, "It was truly a fantastic game. It was a bit different from the baseball environments I've experienced, but it felt even better. From the first day, my teammates welcomed me warmly, and I already feel as if I've been here for four years."

He continued, "Adjusting to the time difference was a bit tough for a day or two, but I'm fully recovered now. I can't say I'm at 100% physical condition yet, but I still have much more to show."

Larios is a veteran reliever who has pitched 93 games and 100 innings exclusively in Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his big league debut with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2017 and spent 10 seasons across six teams, including the Chicago Cubs this year. While his fastball, reaching speeds up to 158 km/h, is his most attractive asset, his inconsistent control, averaging five walks per nine innings, has prevented him from leaving a clear mark.

Larios's decision to join the KBO League was largely influenced by his Korean wife, April. April, born to a Korean mother and an American father, married Larios in 2021. When Larios joined LG, she expressed her excitement on her social media, stating, "We are going to Korea. Although I am of mixed Korean heritage, I have never been to Korea. I am incredibly excited, beyond words."

In response, Larios said, "My wife's influence was 100%. We talked a lot about Korea from the moment we first met. My wife has never been to Korea, so she couldn't tell me much about it. However, my mother-in-law and father-in-law visited Korea frequently, so I heard many stories from them."

He added, "Several KBO League teams showed interest in me since 2021. This time, I was fortunate enough to make the move, and I had conversations with Benjamin (Doosan) and Heredia (SSG) because we are friends."

Although he is a seasoned veteran from the big leagues, the KBO League, where fans cheer with every pitch, was certainly a new experience for Larios. He smiled and said, "It wasn't just the first pitch that drew cheers; I heard them with every pitch. It was truly a great feeling."

He continued, "Korean batters seemed to watch the ball calmly from the batter's box. They seemed to focus heavily on getting on base. However, I felt that if I could put the ball in the strike zone, I could compete effectively with what I have."

LG's decision to sign a foreign pitcher as a specialist reliever comes 16 years after the 2010 signing of Japanese pitcher Shin'ya Okamoto (52). With closer Yoo Young-chan (28) leaving and starting pitcher Son Ju-young (28) being called up from the rotation, Larios was selected.

Before the game, LG manager Yeom Kyung-yeop stated, "We have no plans to make Larios pitch on three consecutive days. He is a player we need to use effectively until the Korean Series. He is one of our core assets, and if he gets injured, he will be useless. We will not overuse him just because he is a foreign player; we plan to use him appropriately as a core asset."

Larios said, "Even if I had received an offer as a starting pitcher, I believe I would have come to Korea regardless. I fully respect the decision made by the manager. I will never say no to that. The reason I came here is to help the team win, so I will always approach games with a sense of responsibility."

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.