Cardinals Finalize Deal With Korean Lefty Kwang-hyun Kim

The St. Louis Cardinals went all the way across the Pacific Ocean to bolster their starting rotation ahead of another playoff run.

The Cardinals are reportedly finalizing a deal with 31-year-old left-handed South Korean starter Kwang-hyun Kim, who has more than a decade of professional experience.

The loss of Michael Wacha opened up a hole in the rotation that Kim is expected to fill, though he could end up pitching in the bullpen if the Cards opt to revert Carlos Martinez back to starting duties.

Kim, who underwent Tommy John surgery in 2017, has played with South Korea's SK Wyverns for the last 12 seasons, going 136-77 with a 3.27 ERA in that span. Last year, Kim went 17-6 with a 2.51 ERA.

Kim sits in the low 90s with plenty of movement on his fastball. He might issue a higher number of walks than most, but his sweeping slider and curveball remain nearly unhittable pitches when he's on.

St. Louis has had experience with signing pitchers from Korea, as Seung-Hwan Oh put together several fine seasons as a reliever.

Kim has no experience at the MLB level, but he's dominated South Korea for the last decade, and should be a welcome addition to St. Louis' roster.