Ex-MLB pitcher Jaime Barria rumored to be finalizing KBO deal

A handful of foreign pitchers are currently out with injury, including the Kia Tigers' Wil Crowe and the Hanwha Eagles' Ricardo Sanchez and Felix Pena.

Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Jaime Barria looks to the outfield after the Tampa Bay Rays scored seven runs during the sixth inning of the second baseball game of a doubleheader in Anaheim, California in August 2023. [AP/YONHAP]

Former Major League pitcher Jaime Barria is rumored to be finalizing a deal with a KBO club, according to baseball update site MLB Trade Rumors late Saturday night U.S. time.

The 27-year-old right-hander has spent the 2024 season with the Columbus Clippers, the Triple-A affiliate of the MLB's Cleveland Guardians, and has a 4.81 ERA over 13 games with one win and zero losses.

If Barria lands a permanent contract with a KBO club, the team would be required to release one of their foreign players to make room for Barria on their bench.

KBO clubs are allowed to have three foreign players on their roster with a maximum of two pitchers at any given time, according to league rules.

Clubs are allowed a maximum of two foreign player switch-ups — releasing one player and signing another — per season, but the KBO now allows clubs to temporarily sign a replacement player without using one of the two allotted roster changes.

The only club that has made a change to their foreign player roster this season is the SSG Landers, who released pitcher Robert Dugger, who had a 12.71 ERA over six games, and signed former major leaguer Drew Anderson. They also signed a temporary replacement player, Japanese pitcher Keisho Shirakawa, for right-hander Roenis Elias, who is out with an oblique injury for about six weeks.

Midseason foreign player moves in the KBO typically happen when a player suffers a long-term injury or is underperforming.

Kia Tigers pitcher Wil Crowe has been out with an elbow injury since a game against the Hanwha Eagles on May 4. He flew to the United States two weeks ago for a second opinion on whether he will require surgery.

And both of the Eagles' foreign pitchers are out with injuries. Left-hander Ricardo Sanchez has been out with an elbow injury since May 17 while right-hander Felix Pena last pitched on May 15.

Barria had a 4.38 ERA over 134 games from six years in the MLB with the Los Angeles Angels before he signed a minor league deal with the Guardians in December 2023.

The Clippers on Friday placed Barria on the Development List, essentially a temporary holding spot for players in the minor leagues, taking him out of their total roster count.

BY MARY YANG [mary.yang@joongang.co.kr]