[Breaking News] Samsung extends Austin Bost's contract by two weeks! Park Jin-man: "We will give Ariel Harada a bit more time to build up his pitch count."

*This content was translated by AI.

The Samsung Lions have decided to extend their contract with short-term replacement foreign pitcher Austin Bost (34) by two more weeks. Although 'ace' Ariel Harada (30), who is recovering from a shoulder injury, shows no physical issues at all, the team has determined that additional time is needed to safely increase his pitch count in the Futures League ahead of his return to the first division.

Lee Jong-yeol, Samsung's general manager, met with on-site reporters before the manager briefing at Gocheok Sky Dome in Guro-gu, Seoul, on the 25th, stating, "Harada's physical condition is not poor. We decided to extend his contract by two weeks because he threw too few pitches in the Futures League." He added, "After consulting with the staff, we reached a consensus that it would be better to increase his pitch count slightly." According to Samsung club officials, while no formal signature has been placed on the contract yet, a verbal agreement has been reached.

Manager Park Jin-man also provided detailed explanations regarding Harada's condition and the background of Bost's contract extension. Manager Park said, "Harada pitched yesterday (24th) in Hampyeong during the Futures League, and there were absolutely no issues with his velocity or control (top speed 147 km/h). However, if he returns as a starter, he will need to throw close to 100 pitches, whereas currently he only handles around 30–40 pitches. Since bullpen pitching differs from actual game situations, we concluded that Harada needs a bit more time to prepare."

Manager Park further explained, "Our plan is to bring him up to the first division once his pitch count in the Futures League reaches approximately 80 pitches and we confirm there are no physical issues. Going forward, he will make at least one more appearance in the Futures League to complete his build-up."

As a result, Bost will continue to guard the first-division mound with his contract extended by two weeks. Regarding Bost, Manager Park stated, "He likely anticipated this separation, but if he performs well here, it could lead to positive changes in his future plans. I believe he will throw his best until the end," expressing his trust.

Meanwhile, Manager Park Jin-man also addressed recent discussions on mound management and roster planning amid a fierce standings battle. He emphasized, "In last weekend's one-run victory against NC, our bullpen and position players delivered a tight win together. For the remainder of the season, we will boldly utilize our healthy relief pitchers, strengthen mobility and defensive capabilities through an expanded roster, and go all out."

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*This content was translated by AI.