(Photo by Ralph Freso/Getty Images)
Matthew Tallarini
Dominican right-handed pitcher Felix Pena is heading back to South Korea and re-signed with the Hanwha Eagles for the 2024 Korean Baseball Organization regular season, Yoo Jee-ho of South Korean-English news media Yonhap News Agency reported on Saturday.
The Eagles structured a one-year contract worth up to $1.05 million in United States dollars. According to Jee-ho,” Pena will receive $650,000 in salary and a $200,000 signing bonus and can earn up to $200,000 more in incentives”.
Pena, 33, was born in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic played last season with the Eagles in his second season in South Korea posting an 11-11 record along with a 3.60 ERA in 32 starts throwing 177.1 innings allowing 149 hits, 71 earned runs, 14 home runs, 59 walks, 147 strikeouts, and a 1.173 WHIP.
Pena played in the 2022 regular season with the Eagles after he arrived in the middle of the season after being released by the New York Mets on June 7, 2022 and replaced starting pitcher Nick Kingham in the middle of their pitching rotation. Pena went 5-4 in 13 starts posting a 3.72 ERA throwing 67.2 innings allowing 63 hits, 28 earned runs, four home runs, 30 walks, 72 strikeouts, and a 1.374 WHIP.
Prior to Pena arriving in South Korea he was with Triple-A Syracause in the Mets organization when he signed to a minor league contract on February 16, 2022. He threw 31 innings going 1-5 with a 4.06 ERA in eight appearances and six starts allowing 32 hits, 14 earned runs, three home runs, nine walks, striking out 26 batters and posted a 1.323 before heading to Hanwha.
According to Jee-ho,”KBO teams can sign up to three foreign players but a maximum of two pitchers”.
Pena began his professional career when he signed with the Chicago Cubs as an international free agent on March 9, 2009. Pena played up to Triple-A Iowa with the Cubs until he was traded to the Los Angeles Angels after the 2017 season on October 9, 2017.
Pena last played in Major League Baseball with the Angels during the 2021 regular season. He has played six seasons in MLB with the Cubs from 2016-17 and the Angels from 2018-21 during his professional career.
In his six seasons in MLB, Pena went 15-8 with a 4.06 ERA throwing 260.2 innings in 104 appearances and 24 starts with three saves allowing 241 hits, 135 earned runs, 39 home runs, 95 walks, 267 strikeouts, and a 1.289 WHIP.
The 2024 KBO regular season will start on March 23. None of the 10 teams in the league have yet to announce their regular season schedule. All 10 teams will report to training camp during the middle of January.