Bears hoping to move temporary pitcher to a full contract

The Doosan Bears remained hopeful Tuesday that they will be able to retain their temporary starting pitcher, Wes Benjamin, on a full contract for the rest of the Korean baseball season.

Benjamin joined the Bears as a short-term injury replacement for Chris Flexen in April. Since 2024, the KBO has been allowing teams to sign temporary replacements for foreign players sidelined for at least six weeks.

Benjamin, who previously pitched for another KBO club, the KT Wiz, from 2022 to 2024, has filled in admirably for Flexen, who made only two starts before going down with a shoulder injury. Benjamin has a 2.90 ERA with a 4-6 record that belies his overall effectiveness. The left-hander from the United States has tossed three scoreless outings.

Benjamin is currently on his second six-week contract, which will expire Wednesday. It also happens to be the day of his 13th start for the Bears. After releasing Flexen on Monday, the Bears are expected to keep Benjamin around for the rest of the season.

"Talks between the player and the club are going well," Bears manager Kim Won-hyong told reporters before hosting the Lotte Giants at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Songpa District, southern Seoul. "Barring any unexpected development, our focus is on keeping him around. And Benjamin already told us that he will do his best tomorrow regardless of his contract status. We will get a clearer picture in the next couple of days."

The Bears also cut ties with American outfielder Daz Cameron on Monday, leaving a hole in the lineup and in a corner outfield spot. Kim previously said the Bears have a surplus of up-and-coming outfielders who deserve more of a chance to play and they could use a foreign player who can handle first base or third base duties.

Without identifying the player, Kim said the team should be able to announce Cameron's replacement in the next week or two. The new player, however, will only be ready to play after the July 10-15 All-Star break, the manager added.

Yonhap