Drew Luchinski (Oakland Athletics), who played for the NC Dinos in the KBO League, ended the season early.
On the 19th (Korean time), MLB.com, 메이저놀이터 the official homepage of the Major League Baseball (MLB) of the American professional baseball league, said, “Luczynski is scheduled to undergo back surgery at the end of July,” and “he ended the season early.”
Luchinski, who debuted in the big leagues with the Los Angeles Angels in the 2014 season and went through the Minnesota Twins and Miami Marlins until the 2018 season, is a player familiar to Korean fans. Entering the KBO League wearing an NC uniform in 2019, he showed potential with a 9-9 ERA of 3.05 that year, and reigned as NC’s ace until the 2022 season. His career record in the KBO League is 53-36 with an earned run average of 3.06 in 121 appearances (732.2 innings).
With this performance as a stepping stone, Luczynski signed a two-year, up to $8 million contract with Oakland ahead of this season and embarked on a re-challenge in the big leagues.
However, a series of injuries and evil spirits caught up with him. Due to a hamstring injury suffered right before the opening, he had his first appearance of the season on April 29, and after that, he was injured in various parts such as abdominal pain, left knee sprain, and back.
Luczynski, who was already on the 60-day injured list (IL) on the 21st of last month, ended the season early as he eventually underwent surgery. His performance this season is 4 losses and 9.00 ERA in 4 appearances (18 innings).