The Baltimore Orioles have agreed to terms with Korean righty Suk-min Yoon, as CBS Sports' Jon Heyman reports. However, the deal is pending a physical, and Yoon has reportedly had shoulder issues in the recent past. Not to mention the team's slowly developing reputation for failing players that other teams consider healthy.
Orioles sign Suk-min Yoon
Pending a physical, of course ...
Richard Heathcote
The deal will guarantee Yoon $5.575 million over three years, and it includes incentive clauses that could push its value up to $13 million, according to MLB Daily Dish’s Chris Cotillo.
Widely considered the best pitcher in Korea, Yoon has predominantly served as a starter in his career. However, injury concerns pushed him into the bullpen, where he was effective as well. He has a career 3.63 ERA in the Korean Baseball Organization over 29 starts, 50 appearances overall.
Yoon’s agent, Scott Boras, described his client as a Kyle Lohse-type starter that could flash three plus offerings despite lacking an “overpowering fastball.”
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Baltimore could plan to use the former KBO MVP as a starter out of the gate, but his experience as a closer for the Kia Tigers makes him a flexible signing that could shift roles if he struggles or the team needs a swing man.
Yoon gave a hint that this could happen via social media foreshadowing, but it might still be a little bit too early to count on him actually suiting up for Baltimore.
The O's had a team-friendly deal in place to land one of the market's best closers earlier this winter, but when they examined Grant Balfour, they became concerned with his wrist and knee, and backed out of the deal. Balfour signed with Tampa Bay and passed their physical with "flying colors."
The team had similar concerns after signing free agent outfielder Tyler Colvin to a major league deal. Their physical revealed that Colvin had persisting back injuries, causing the team to downgrade their offer to a minor league deal. Colvin declined.
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