*This content was translated by AI.
Pedro Avila (29, SSG Landers) secured another victory. With overwhelming stability — achieving a quality start (QS: six or more innings pitched with three or fewer earned runs allowed) in 10 of his 11 appearances — he is casting a bright light on SSG's future for next season.
On the 16th, Avila started against Lotte Giants at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan during an away game in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League. He threw 86 pitches over seven innings, allowing four hits and one walk while striking out 11 batters, giving up only one run in a dominant outing.
The lineup scored two runs each in the sixth and seventh innings, including a go-ahead solo home run by Jeon Ui-san, securing a 4-1 victory. This marked Avila's seventh win (one loss) of the season, lowering his ERA from 1.41 to 1.39.
He allowed one run in the fourth inning after Victor Reyes hit a double down the right-field line and Jeon Min-jae singled, but that was the only run he surrendered all day.
Avila recorded an impressive 11 strikeouts using a variety of pitches including a fastball clocked at up to 95 mph (154 km/h), curveball, changeup, and cutter — shattering his previous single-game record of eight strikeouts.
Joining SSG in place of Anthony Venegas ahead of the second half, Avila has pitched 71 innings across 11 games. His average of 6⅓ innings per start far exceeds that of James Naile (KIA), who leads the league with six innings per game. This is the primary reason SSG has taken a completely different path in the second half.
He is being hailed as "one of the greatest foreign pitchers ever." Earlier, SSG manager Lee Seung-yong praised him: "In the short term, he looks even better than (Ponce and Pedy). While managing his stamina from the start of the season is key, I can't recall a pitcher who has performed like this. Even though he's on our team, there's nothing to criticize. I have no choice but to respect him." He added, "Looking beyond just pitching — including communication outside the field, defense, holding runners, and slide steps — Avila should be in the top three foreign pitchers ever seen in Korea. So far, that's exactly how it looks."
His numbers confirm this assessment. In his 10th KBO League debut game on the 10th against Hanwha, Avila pitched six innings allowing one run to secure a win, finishing with an ERA of 1.41 — the second-best mark among all foreign starting pitchers in their first 10 KBO games since the league's inception. Only Nelson Cruz (then with SK Wyverns, SSG's predecessor) posted a better ERA of 1.35 in 2005. Other notable foreign pitchers who later advanced to Major League Baseball include Eric Feely (2023, 1.47), Ponce (2025, 1.48), and James Naile (2024 with KIA, 1.65).
Avila expressed his satisfaction: "I'm so happy. It's great to win in front of my family. The batters focused well and scored runs, and the defense provided solid support behind me." He continued, "The relievers who came after also held the lead, allowing me to earn the win. I'm grateful to my teammates."
While his aggressive pitching style has led to an astonishing "inning-eating" performance, what's even more remarkable is his elite-level strikeout ability. Regarding the record, he said, "I wasn't too concerned about the strikeout numbers. Today, my changeup was particularly effective. Using it along with my two-seam fastball produced great results."
Avila previously declared he would stay with SSG for at least two more years. He is satisfied with life in Korea, and his family's happiness plays a significant role. "My family has always been my greatest strength," Avila said. "They follow me wherever I play to watch my games." He added, "Seeing my children and family in the stands during games gives me even more focus. I want to create more good memories here in Korea."
What's even more terrifying is next season. Kang Cheol-kt, known as the "pitching trainer" and manager of KT Wiz, has already praised Avila to such an extent that it's clear: if Avila continues to perform at full capacity, he will become a source of fear for all nine other teams in the league.
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*This content was translated by AI.
