'This can't be happening' KBO League 9 clubs on high alert → 'First in club history' monster pitcher: "I'll stay in Korea for two more years..."

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

All clubs except the one team he belongs to are on high alert. This is because Pedro Avila (29), who joined as a replacement foreign pitcher and has delivered historic performances, has indicated his intention to continue playing in Korea for about two more years.

On the 4th, SSG secured a decisive 4-0 victory over the Doosan Bears in their 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular-season home game at the Incheon SSG Landers Field. With this win, SSG improved to 51 wins, 66 losses, and 5 ties, maintaining sole possession of eighth place in the league.

Avila's performance was the highlight of the game. He pitched a complete game shutout on the day, throwing 9 innings (101 pitches total), allowing just 2 hits, issuing 1 walk, and striking out 5 batters without surrendering any runs — marking his first career shutout in the KBO League. This also brought his win total to five for the season.

Avila became the first pitcher in SSG Landers history (since the club's founding in 2021) to record a shutout. Including the franchise's predecessor, SK Wyverns, this marks the 19th shutout in the organization's history. The most recent shutout was thrown by foreign pitcher Scott Diamond on September 15, 2017, against Doosan at Jamsil Stadium, where he pitched 9 innings (105 pitches), allowing 3 hits and striking out 6 batters. This was also the third shutout of the season and the 874th in KBO League history.

On this day, Avila did not allow any baserunners until he gave up an infield hit to Jung Soobin with one out in the sixth inning. The eighth inning posed the biggest threat. After one out, he allowed a strikeout on a wild pitch by Ahn Jae-seok, a walk to substitute batter Yang Seok-hwan, and an infield hit to Jo Su-haeng, putting runners on all bases with one out. However, he induced Jung Soobin into a groundout to the shortstop, retiring the runner from third base at home plate, and then retired Kim Ki-yeon on a fly ball to left field, escaping the scoring danger. In the ninth inning, after two outs, he allowed a hit to Kim Min-seok through the middle of the infield but struck out Yang Eui-ji on a fly ball to second base, roaring in triumph.

Avila threw a total of 101 pitches that day: 50 two-seam fastballs, 20 cutters, 20 changeups, and 11 curveballs. His fastest two-seamer reached 156 km/h. He recorded 67 strikes and 34 balls.

After the game, following interviews with broadcasters and on-field reporters, Avila approached his family and shared an emotional moment. Before speaking to the press, he was also seen shedding tears.

Avila said, "Many moments of effort leading up to this instant came flooding back into my mind. I've never recorded a shutout in my entire baseball career before today, so achieving such a positive result made me truly happy on a personal level."

He continued, explaining the situation in the ninth inning: "After completing the eighth inning, I volunteered to pitch one more inning to the manager and pitching coach. Fortunately, they trusted me, allowing me to return to the mound for the ninth."

Avila added, "I often told my wife that 'someday I will definitely throw a shutout.' In my last outing, when I pitched seven innings, she jokingly said, 'You didn't complete two more innings, so you couldn't throw a shutout.' I promised her, 'Next time, I'll show you for sure.' Being able to keep that promise made this even more meaningful."

With two outs and a runner on first base in the ninth inning, the pitching coach visited the mound. What did they discuss? Avila said, "When the coach came up, all I could think was, 'Please don't take me off the mound.' He told me to focus only on facing the batter, noting that we had a lead and it would be okay even if I gave up a home run. His message was simply: 'Just compete with the batter.'"

There was also a moment when the shutout nearly fell apart. In the eighth inning, with one out and bases loaded, Jung Soobin hit a ground ball to the shortstop, which Park Sung-han fielded. Instead of throwing to second base, he made a bold throw home to prevent any runs from scoring. Avila praised the play: "The ball wasn't moving that fast; honestly, I never expected him to throw home. But Park Sung-han threw it home and prevented a run. Personally, I think Park is extremely professional and plays hard every single game," giving him a thumbs-up.

Regarding the moment his perfect game was broken in the sixth inning with one out, Avila said, "I didn't feel much emotion or regret. I actually thought he would be out, but unfortunately, the throw went slightly off target and resulted in a baserunner. In baseball, such plays can happen to anyone at any time," showing his magnanimous mindset.

After the game, SSG manager Lee Seung-yong said, "Avila dominated the opposing lineup with a flawless performance, proving himself as the best pitcher in the KBO League right now. Throughout the game, he stayed steady and fulfilled his role perfectly. As a manager, I deeply respect Avila for securing this shutout. I also want to thank our fielders for providing solid defensive support that allowed him to achieve this shutout."

He continued, "I would like to thank all fans who gave us enthusiastic support to start the first game of our final weekend home series on a high note. On the 5th, there is a retirement ceremony for coach Kim Sung-hyun scheduled, so I hope many fans will come to the stadium and join in celebrating together."

Avila has appeared in nine games this season, recording five wins, one loss, and an ERA of 1.40. He has become a source of fear for opposing teams across the league.

When asked about his future contract and plans, he said, "I want to show good performances not only next year but also the year after." When questioned whether he would stay in Korea, he replied, "I can't guarantee 100%, but I definitely want to remain in Korea for at least two more years," expressing strong determination.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original