*This content was translated by AI.
"In the short term, he seems even better than (Ponce and Pandy)."
SSG Landers manager Lee Seung-yong (55) spared no praise for the lucky foreign pitcher Pedro Avila (29). And those words were soon backed by statistics.
On the 10th, Avila made his starting appearance in a home game against the Hanwha Eagles at Incheon SSG Landers Field as part of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League season. He pitched six innings, throwing 92 pitches, allowing three hits and one walk while striking out six batters and surrendering just one earned run in a stellar performance.
Avila joined the team at the start of the second half to fill the injury gap left by Mitch White. From his first game, he made a powerful impact by pitching six scoreless innings. That was only the beginning.
In nine games, Avila recorded eight quality starts (six or more innings with three or fewer earned runs), logging 58 innings total. He secured five wins (one loss) and posted an ERA of just 1.40. Despite throwing a powerful fastball reaching speeds in the mid-150 km/h range, he preferred efficient pitching that focused on limiting contact rather than relying solely on strikeouts. This approach allowed him to pitch longer innings.
His performance against Doosan on the 4th was particularly outstanding. Avila threw 101 pitches over nine innings, allowing three hits and one walk while striking out five batters to secure a shutout victory. He became the first pitcher in SSG history since its founding in 2021 to throw a complete-game shutout. With the team's starting rotation struggling badly in the first half, causing SSG to fall as low as ninth place, Avila proved to be an invaluable asset. Since his arrival, the SSG starting rotation has completely transformed. In the second half, the team's ERA improved to 3.61, propelling them into third place.
Manager Lee Seung-yong, watching Avila's shutout performance, recalled Cody Ponce (Toronto Blue Jays), who led Hanwha to the Korean Series for the first time in 19 years last season, and Eric Fedde (Chicago White Sox), who excelled with NC Dinos in 2023. Ponce recorded 17 wins, one loss, an ERA of 1.89, and 252 strikeouts last season, while Fedde posted 20 wins, six losses, an ERA of 2.00, and 209 strikeouts in 2023. Both pitchers were named MVPs that year before moving to MLB.
Manager Lee stated, "In the short term, he seems even better than (Ponce and Pandy). While managing stamina from the start of the season is key, I can't recall seeing a pitcher perform like this. Although he's one of our players, there's nothing to criticize. I have no choice but to respect him." He added, "Looking beyond just baseball skills — including communication outside the field, defense, holding runners, and slide steps — Avila might even rank among the top three pitchers in KBO history. Based on what I've seen so far, that seems likely."
This wasn't just talk about his arm mechanics. On this day as well, Avila tightly held the Hanwha lineup through the sixth inning. After pitching a perfect game until one out in the third inning, he issued a walk to Jang Gyu-hyun. With two outs and a runner on first, an unfortunate defensive play by shortstop Park Sung-han allowed runners to advance to first and second base. Choi In-ho then hit a single, giving Hanwha the lead.
However, no further runs were allowed. In the fourth inning, with two outs and runners on first and second due to an error by third baseman Ahn Jae-yeon, Avila threw a changeup on the outside corner, inducing a swing-and-miss strikeout to escape the danger. He retired all three batters in both the fifth and sixth innings.
The offense added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth. Although the bullpen allowed a two-run homer and trailed by one run, closer Jo Byung-hyun secured a flawless save in the top of the ninth, allowing Avila to earn his sixth win (one loss) of the season.
Avila's fastest pitch reached 155 km/h. He mixed 49 fastballs of two types, 21 cutters reaching up to 152 km/h, 14 changeups with a maximum speed difference of 20 km/h from his fastball, and eight slower curveballs to completely shut down the Hanwha lineup.
Although Avila faced crises in the third and fourth innings, he managed the fifth inning with just seven pitches and the sixth with nine, once again proving there were no stamina issues.
Additionally, while Avila's ERA rose slightly from 1.40 to 1.41, he made history in the KBO League. The only pitcher in KBO history to record a lower ERA than Avila over his first ten starts as a debutant was Nelson Cruz of SK Wyverns (the predecessor to SSG) in 2005, with an ERA of 1.35. Other highly regarded foreign pitchers who advanced to MLB include Eric Fedde (1.47 in 2023), Cody Ponce (1.48 in 2025), and James Naile of KIA (1.65 in 2024).
After the game, Manager Lee praised Avila with a brief statement: "Today, Avila once again showed his signature pitching style and met everyone's expectations." Though short, this expression perfectly captured his performance better than any lengthy explanation.
Speaking to reporters, Avila said, "Personally, I strive to pitch as many innings as possible in every game. Fortunately, thanks to the help of our position players, we've achieved good results. I've worked hard on both mental and physical management, and seeing those efforts pay off makes me very happy."
Avila surpassed Ponce and Pandy's records. He remarked, "I wasn't aware of such records and didn't pitch with them in mind. I believe pitching more innings helps the team, so I focused on throwing many innings and contributing to the team's success." He added, "I try not to be conscious of what Ponce and Pandy did well. As for opportunities in MLB, I'm not sure."
After spending a difficult time in the minor leagues before joining the KBO League, both Avila and his family are now satisfied with life in Korea.
His only thought is to continue performing well in Korea. Manager Lee Seung-yong has openly hinted at keeping Avila for next season, and Avila shares the same sentiment. Avila stated, "My desire to stay for about two years hasn't changed." Regarding contract negotiations, he said, "The team will take the lead, but I'll wait. Landers forever," strongly expressing his intention to remain with the club.
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*This content was translated by AI.
