Tigers sign former big leaguer Eric Stout to temporarily replace injured James Naile

The Kia Tigers announced Wednesday that they have signed former big leaguer Eric Stout as a temporary replacement for James Naile, who suffered a fractured jaw during a game last week.

The Kia Tigers announced Wednesday that they have signed former big leaguer Eric Stout as a temporary replacement for James Naile, who suffered a fractured jaw during a game last week.

Stout, 31, will earn $45,000 for playing the remainder of the KBO season, the Tigers said.

Stout replaces Tigers ace Naile, who suffered a broken jaw during a game against the NC Dinos in Changwon, South Gyeongsang over the weekend.

Naile was struck in the face by a line drive off Matt Davidson in the bottom of the sixth on Saturday, immediately exiting the field while clutching his face. Davidson appeared visibly upset and was pulled for a pinch runner. He underwent surgery on Sunday.

Stout arrives in Gwangju with 23 games of major league experience behind him with the Kansas City Royals, Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates. He has been pitching in Taiwan’s Chinese Professional Baseball League since 2023 for the CTBC Brothers, where he has a 16-10 record with a 2.96 ERA over 32 games.

Stout will not be eligible to play in the postseason — where the Landers are on track to reach their 12th Korean Series — because he was signed after Aug. 15.

Stout has big shoes to fill with Kia. A new signee this year, Naile has recorded 12 wins and five losses to tie for the winningest pitcher in the league this season with a 2.53 ERA — the second best in the league — across 26 appearances.

The Tigers are in the middle of one of the best seasons in the club’s recent history. With a confident lead on the table — 5.5 games over the second-place Samsung Lions and 7.5 over the reigning champion LG Twins — the Tigers are on track to take the pennant and a direct ticket to the Korean Series.

Once there, history is firmly on the Tigers’ side. Historically the most successful team in the KBO, the Tigers have won all 11 of the Korean Series that they have played in.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]