'Doosan's Huge Good News Arrives!' Ace Who Loves Korea Returns Smoothly "Catchball Already Started → Coordinating Schedule for Bullpen Pitching and Subsequent Appearance"

*This content was translated by AI.

Wes Benjamin (33), the 'foreign left-handed ace' of the Doosan Bears who had been sidelined due to a shoulder injury, is showing rapid recovery and has officially begun his comeback preparations.

Doosan manager Kim Won-hyung (54) shared positive re-examination results regarding Benjamin directly with reporters ahead of the home game against Kiwoom Heroes at Seoul Jamsil Stadium on the 29th.

Manager Kim Won-hyung responded to related questions, stating, "The MRI scan results show his condition has improved significantly compared to before. He himself feels fine and has already started catchball. We plan to proceed with bullpen pitching next week and then re-evaluate his status. After that, we will confirm whether he can be deployed in actual games." This indicates plans to coordinate his return schedule to the first division soon.

Benjamin complained of shoulder pain after the Changwon NC Dinos game on the 18th and was diagnosed with a minor tear in the left subscapularis muscle on the 21st, leading to his removal from the first-division roster.

Benjamin's journey as the cornerstone of Doosan's starting rotation this season has been dramatic. Ahead of this season, Doosan re-signed Chris Flexen (32), who played in the 2020 season, but when Flexen was sidelined due to back pain after just two games this season, Doosan signed Benjamin as a replacement foreign investor for a total of $50,000 (approximately 70 million won) over six weeks.

Thereafter, Benjamin continued his strong performances and solidly held the rotation in place. As Flexen's absence extended, he signed a formal contract on July 2nd for a total of $450,000 (approximately 630 million won). Before being sidelined by injury, he delivered ace-level performance in 19 games with a record of 5 wins and 7 losses and an ERA of 2.53. He achieved the quality start metric (defined as starting six or more innings while allowing three or fewer earned runs) ten times.

In fact, Benjamin is a pitcher who commands deep trust not only for his skills but also for his extraordinary 'love for Korea.' During the autumn playoffs in 2023 while playing for KT Wiz, he wore a cap inscribed with "ITAEWON" to comfort those affected by the tragedy. He has consistently shown deep affection for Korean society and fans through ongoing charitable activities with foreign teammates. Remarkably, he can even communicate in basic Korean.

Although Benjamin was sidelined, Doosan also received heavenly help. Rain fell on every occasion when Benjamin was scheduled to pitch, including the Jamsil Lotte game on the 22nd and the Kiwoom game on the 28th, resulting in 'rainout cancellations' that served as a blessing. Manager Kim Won-hyung nodded in agreement, saying, "It was a positive factor." He further added, "Park Shin-ji, who was designated as the replacement starter for Benjamin's turn, will start in the Jamsil LG game on the 3rd."

In fact, an early return by Benjamin is crucial for Doosan. In mid-September, two starting pitchers, Kwak Bin and Choi Min-seok, are scheduled to be drafted into the Asian Games national team, making this a vital element for season-end operations. As 'the ace who loves Korea' Benjamin smoothly completes catchball and enters his comeback countdown, it is highly anticipated when he will return to the Jamsil mound after bullpen pitching.

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*This content was translated by AI.