"KIA's Dale is my cousin; I've thrown here at Jamsil before." LG's last-minute foreign investor on the PS bus, was fate destined to bring him to the KBO?

*This content was translated by AI.

"Was fate really destined to bring him to Korea?" John Kennedy (32), LG's new foreign player who joined just before the postseason registration deadline, has now forged a connection with Korean baseball through a dramatic arrival.

On the 19th, Kennedy took the mound in the bottom of the 8th inning with no outs and a runner on first at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium during LG's home game against KT Wiz in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular season. He pitched two-thirds of an inning perfectly to lead LG to a 1-0 victory.

It was a successful debut. Kennedy induced a ground ball from Oh Yun-seok at second base and recorded a double play with just four pitches. During the play, he also created a humorous moment when his body twisted and he stumbled while covering first base due to his tall stature.

After the game, Kennedy said, "I didn't expect to find myself in such a high-pressure situation like this. Throwing in this scenario from my very first appearance gives me confidence that I can pitch more comfortably going forward. I'll enjoy pitching."

Kennedy joined LG on the 15th as an Asia quota replacement for Lachlan Wells (29), another Australian national team player, under a total contract worth $20,000 (approximately 28 million won). The signing process itself was dramatic. LG completed all procedures, including visa issuance, and finalized Kennedy's KBO registration on the 15th. According to KBO regulations, foreign players must sign contracts and complete registration by August 15 to be eligible for the postseason in that season. Had the visa been issued even slightly later, Kennedy would have been limited to regular-season play only.

Although it may seem like Kennedy suddenly connected with Korea, his story tells a different tale. His first connection with Korea dates back 14 years. In 2012, Kennedy played for the Australian national team at the 25th U-18 World Youth Baseball Championship held in Seoul.

On September 5, 2012, Australia faced the United States in a first-round match at Jamsil Baseball Stadium. At that time, Kennedy started as a pitcher and pitched five innings allowing only one run, but Australia ultimately lost 2-6 due to defensive errors by subsequent pitchers. The U.S. team included Cavan Biggio (31, Houston Astros) and Rhyne McLane (31, Chicago White Sox), former teammates of Ryu Hyun-jin (39, Hanwha Eagles) during his time with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Kennedy recalled that moment vividly. Before the game, he told reporters, "Actually, I've been here a very long time ago. I played in the Baseball World Cup when I was 18 at Jamsil. The stadium was impressive then, and even seeing it again now, it remains just as impressive," he smiled.

Years later, Kennedy faced Korean players directly while wearing the Australian national team uniform. He also represented Australia at the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC). Kennedy said, "I believe having experience facing the Korean national team is one of the experiences that can help me pitch in Korea. Of course, it's currently a regular season and not a tournament format like back then, so there are differences, but I plan to use that experience as a foundation."

After deciding to come to Korea, Kennedy received help from his cousin Jared Dale (26), who is this year's Asia quota player for KIA Tigers, and his longtime friend Wells. Kennedy explained, "Dale told me about how the KBO League schedule works, what preparations are needed here, and many other things. Playing baseball in Australia is very different from playing in Korea. He also informed me about the media and fans. Additionally, Dale had a KBO ball and lent it to me. I practiced with that ball before coming to Korea, which allowed me to adapt in advance."

Kennedy shared a peculiar connection with Wells. "Wells and I have known each other since we were teenagers. We've been close for a very long time," he said. "Wells told me that LG is truly an excellent organization. His teammates mentioned that foreign players are well cared for, and indeed, that's exactly what I experienced. Austin and Kara-sco are being looked after well, and Korean teammates have also helped me adapt significantly," he smiled.

Although Kennedy has recently pitched as a starter in Australia, the bullpen role LG seeks is not unfamiliar to him. "When I played in the U.S., I was always in the bullpen throughout my career, and I also pitched in the bullpen in Japan. Recently, I switched back to starting. I am quite confident pitching from the bullpen," he emphasized.

The role LG expects aligns perfectly with Kennedy's most familiar position. Yeom Kyung-yeop (58), LG's manager who directly observed Kennedy's bullpen performance, said, "His control is good and his deception is excellent. He also has a changeup against right-handed batters, so he can handle both left and right hitters." The manager expressed high expectations for Kennedy as a new card in the bullpen, even connecting him with closer Son Ju-young.

And Kennedy showed just a bit of that promise in his debut game. On this day, Kennedy's fastball reached a top speed of 144 km/h, and Oh Yun-seok struggled to time his swing due to Kennedy's unfamiliar pitching form. After the victory, Manager Yeom praised, "In a tough situation, our relief pitchers Woo Kang-hoon, Kennedy, and Son Ju-young held everything perfectly, allowing us to win with defensive baseball for the first time in a while."

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*This content was translated by AI.