'Former Samsung' Buchanan, Surprise Visit to Lapark! Visits Home Team During CPBL All-Star Break "Planning to Watch Lotte Game in Personal Capacity" [Daegu On-Site]

*This content was translated by AI.

David Buchanan (37·Taiwan Major League Hawks), the foreign ace who once commanded the KBO League in a Samsung Lions uniform, made a surprise visit to Daegu Samsung Lions Park.

Currently playing in the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL), Buchanan visited Daegu Lapark on the afternoon of the 18th during the CPBL All-Star break. He is expected to watch the Lotte Giants game on the 18th. A Samsung club official also stated only that "he plans to attend the Lotte game in a personal capacity."

Buchanan's team, the Taiwan Major League Hawks, entered the All-Star break after their last game on the 15th. The CPBL will also hold All-Star games on the 18th and 19th. The second-half schedule will resume from the 21st onward.

Buchanan served as Samsung's foreign ace for four seasons from 2020 to 2023, appearing in 113 career games with a record of 54 wins, 28 losses, and an ERA of 3.02, earning him widespread affection as the undisputed "ace of blue blood." Over 699⅔ innings pitched, he allowed 695 hits (including 43 home runs), issued 191 walks, hit 23 batters, recorded 539 strikeouts, and surrendered 274 runs (235 earned), maintaining a dominant presence on Samsung's mound. He achieved double-digit wins for four consecutive seasons. However, after the 2023 season ended, he left the Korean stage regretfully due to failed contract negotiations with Samsung over terms.

Buchanan's subsequent journey was tumultuous. In 2024, he signed a minor league deal with the Philadelphia Phillies and returned to the U.S., only to be traded to the Cincinnati Reds. In January 2025, he re-signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers but received a release notice on April 29 of that year. As a free agent, Buchanan turned his attention to Asia, joining the Fubon Guardians in the CPBL, and this season moved to the Taiwan Major League Hawks to continue his career. His CPBL performance this season includes 10 games with 5 wins, 4 losses, and an ERA of 2.04. In his most recent appearance on July 12 against the Rakuten Monkeys, he pitched 5⅔ innings, allowed 9 hits, recorded 2 strikeouts, and gave up 5 runs (1 earned), taking the loss as the pitcher of record.

Although there were no official events, Buchanan's affection for his former team, Samsung, remains unchanged. Even though it is a "personal visit" from the stands, simply breathing in the same space as Daegu fans and cheering for his home team after so long is expected to be a meaningful surprise gift for Samsung supporters who visited Lapark.

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*This content was translated by AI.