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[EPN NPNow reporter Go Nari] Former KBO player Kim Tae-kyun broke down the replacement foreign pitchers every team has brought in for the 2026 KBO season.
On April 20, his YouTube channel, Kim Tae-kyun [TK52], released a special titled “Urgent 6-Week Replacements Filling Pitching Gaps.” Kim was joined by former Kiwoom Heroes pitcher Oh Ju-won, and the pair evaluated the roles and upside of the incoming pitchers.
Kim emphasized that these replacements need to be game-changers who can alter a team’s fortunes, and he walked through each pitcher’s key traits. Oh added that a club’s ability to find the right replacement foreigner often has a major impact on results.
A rash of early-season injuries has put a premium on crisis management. The NC Dinos drew attention when they signed Drew VerHagen following Riley Thompson’s injury. Oh noted VerHagen brings velocity but has been hit when batters square up his fastball, so the team will need to monitor him closely as the season progresses.
The Doosan Bears added Wes Benjamin after ace Chris Flexen went down. Benjamin, who has KBO experience with the KT Wiz, was described by Oh as “the most trusted replacement” — a pitcher with league familiarity who gives hitters a difficult look. Benjamin’s KBO ledger shows 74 appearances, a 31-18 record, 390 strikeouts and a 3.74 ERA.
Hanwha plugged the vacancy left by Owen White with Jack Cushing. Both analysts highlighted Cushing’s 190 cm (about 6’3″) frame and his command-first profile, calling him a profile Hanwha sorely needed.
They also evaluated Samsung’s Jack O’Rourke, SSG’s Shota Takeda and Doosan’s Ichiro Tamura, noting that several Asian-quota signings have underperformed expectations. Oh was blunt about Hanwha’s bullpen: it lacks veteran presence and experienced arms.
The episode focused on how effectively KBO clubs can deploy replacement foreign pitchers to navigate crisis situations.
Photo: YouTube
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