Yeom Kyung-yeop was left speechless over the failed acquisition of Okada, offering only a helpless laugh and saying, "Ask the club."

*This content was translated by AI.

Yeom Kyung-yeop (58), manager of the LG Twins, is known as a leader who consistently provides sincere and detailed answers to questions from on-site reporters. This stems from his belief that fans can only learn what they need to know through accurate reporting via media, in order to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings. However, this time, he was unusually unable to provide an answer. It turned out that even the manager could not clearly state his position due to a mistake by the KBO (Korea Baseball Organization). The issue concerned the failed acquisition of Akita Okada (33), a Japanese pitcher from Ulsan Whales.

LG announced on the 12th, ahead of an away game against Kiwoom Heroes held at Gocheok Sky Dome in Guro-gu, Seoul, that it would remove foreign pitcher Lachlan Wells (29) from its roster. An LG official stated, "Wells reported shoulder discomfort, and after undergoing an MRI examination, he was advised to undergo a re-examination in four weeks due to minor damage to the subscapularis muscle on his left shoulder."

Meeting reporters ahead of the game, manager Yeom Kyung-yeop expressed bitterness about Wells' condition, saying, "He said his shoulder wasn't good. He trained hard but still reported issues." When asked by StarNews whether a replacement was being considered, he replied, "Ask the club," leaving only an awkward smile.

The reason behind manager Yeom's silence was revealed shortly after the briefing. According to LG officials, they had originally planned to officially announce Okada's acquisition on the afternoon of the 12th. However, a late administrative reversal by the KBO completely blocked the contract.

The incident began during efforts to replace an Asia quota player. Since early August, LG had been preparing to replace Wells behind the scenes. To ensure a definitive resolution, the club formally inquired with the KBO on the 10th regarding the acquisition procedure for Okada. This was necessary because clarification was needed on whether this constituted "acquisition of a foreign player" or "player transfer (trade)."

According to Chapter 10, Article 85 of the baseball regulations, player contract transfers are only permitted until July 31 and must be publicly disclosed as of August 1. If classified as a transfer, acquiring Okada after July 31 would have been impossible.

According to LG officials, the club had inquired with the KBO three times, and the KBO responded that there was no problem, indicating it should be treated as an acquisition of a foreign player. Since foreign players can participate in the postseason if registered by August 15, both LG and Ulsan proceeded based on the KBO's interpretation. Negotiations over transfer fees and salaries were also completed.

However, just before the official announcement was scheduled for the morning of the 12th, LG received a shocking call from the KBO. The league notified them that their previous interpretation of the rules was incorrect and that Okada's case should ultimately be classified as a player transfer. By then, the trade deadline had long passed. As a result, both LG and Ulsan, along with Okada himself, suffered losses.

Had the KBO provided accurate regulatory guidance at the time of the initial inquiry, alternative options could have been explored, making LG's sense of injustice even greater. Moreover, there was no justification for acquiring a player who would be ineligible to participate in the autumn playoffs after August 15.

As the controversy grew, the KBO issued an apology, stating, "There were no issues with LG's inquiry and processing procedures; the cause of the correction was insufficient review of regulations during the KBO's initial response." However, it appears that the damage caused by erroneous administration cannot be fully remedied. The KBO's administrative misjudgment, which left even the manager speechless, is acting as another setback for LG, which is currently struggling in the second half of the season.

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*This content was translated by AI.