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The LG Twins, who fell short of winning their second consecutive Korean Series title in the 2026 season, have moved early to strengthen their foreign pitching staff. The team signed right-handed pitcher Tristan Beck (30), who spent four seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), taking the first step toward reclaiming the championship in the 2027 season.
On the 5th, LG officially announced, "We have agreed to a contract with foreign player Tristan Beck for a total of $878,000 ($300,000 signing bonus, $578,000 annual salary)."
Beck, who holds U.S. citizenship, is a right-handed pitcher standing 193 cm tall and weighing 90 kg. After attending the prestigious Stanford University in the United States, he was selected by the Atlanta Braves with the 112nd overall pick in the fourth round of the 2018 MLB Draft. He later transferred to the San Francisco Giants and made his big league debut in 2023.
His career record in Major League Baseball is 5 wins, 3 losses, and 5 saves with an ERA of 4.08 over four seasons and 85 games (5 starts), striking out 132 batters in 176⅔ innings. A notable feature of his profile is that he has experience both as a starter and in the bullpen.
He also took the mound in Major League Baseball this year. In all 14 appearances for San Francisco, he came on as a reliever, recording 1 win, no losses, and 1 save with an ERA of 5.21, striking out 9 batters in 19 innings. His WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched) was 1.37.
In Triple-A of the minor leagues, playing for the Sacramento River Cats, he appeared in 28 games (2 starts), pitching 39⅔ innings to record 3 wins, 1 loss, and 1 save with an ERA of 4.54 and 43 strikeouts.
His career record in Triple-A is 14 wins and 13 losses with an ERA of 5.15 over 81 games (32 starts) and 208 innings. Across the entire minor league system, he has posted a record of 23 wins and 23 losses with an ERA of 4.82 in 115 games (62 starts) and 345⅓ innings.
Although he has extensive starting experience, his recent appearances have been predominantly as a reliever. In particular, combining Major League Baseball and Triple-A this year, he made only two starts. If utilized as a starter in the KBO League, his physical condition to handle long innings and pitch count management are expected to be key factors.
For LG, stable performance from their foreign pitchers is crucial for a turnaround in the 2027 season. Last year, LG swept both the regular season and the Korean Series, aiming for back-to-back unified championships. This year, they finished fourth with a record of 78 wins, 1 draw, and 65 losses (winning percentage .545). They defeated the Doosan Bears in the Wild Card round but were eliminated from the postseason after suffering three consecutive losses to the KIA Tigers in the Junior Playoffs.
In particular, they managed only five runs across the three games of the Junior Playoffs, and suffered a 13-1 rout in the final Game 3. Foreign pitcher Anders Tolhurst, who led LG to the unified championship in 2025, also struggled against KIA this year and failed to meet expectations.
LG began restructuring its pitching staff immediately after the season ended. Following the dispatch of four young pitchers, including Kim Yun-sik and Yang Woo-jin, to "Next Base," a specialized training institution in Japan, the team accelerated its efforts to sign foreign players.
Through the club, Beck stated, "It is an honor to join LG, a prestigious KBO franchise. I have heard that LG fans are not only the most passionate in the league but also around the world." He added, "I want to quickly feel what it is like to play while receiving such enthusiastic support." He further expressed his determination, saying, "I will pitch as many innings as possible and become a pitcher who helps the team achieve its best results next season."
The LG club evaluated, "Tristan Beck possesses top-tier velocity in the league with his fastballs, along with his signature sweeper, and commands a diverse repertoire of pitches. Based on this, he has the strength to compete effectively against batters of all types regardless of their profile." The club added, "Given that he has gained extensive experience performing various roles in the U.S., we expect him to adapt smoothly to the new environment of the KBO."
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*This content was translated by AI.View Original
