Bligh Madris, whose signing was announced by SSG Landers on July 16.SSG LANDERS
The SSG Landers announced on Tuesday that their new foreign hitter, Bligh Madris, will make his KBO debut this week.
The Landers signed Madris on Thursday as a short-term replacement for their injured outfielder Guillermo Heredia. Madris, 30, will make $100,000 under his six-week contract.
KBO clubs can sign temporary replacements for foreign players who are out for a minimum of six weeks due to injuries. Heredia is dealing with a left shoulder injury and has not played since July 7.
The Landers said that Madris, who began practicing with the club last week, will be placed on their active roster on Tuesday ahead of their road game against the Lotte Giants in Busan, some 330 kilometers (205.1 miles) southeast of Seoul. The American is expected to play one of the corner outfield positions.
The Landers have lost three straight games to fall to 32-55-3 (wins-losses-ties), just one game ahead of last-place Kiwoom Heroes in the 10-team KBO. The Landers suffered a franchise-worst 13-game losing streak earlier this year.
The Landers are also without three regulars: Choi Jeong, Oh Tae-gon and Ko Myeong-jun. In terms of home runs, they are third in the KBO with 99, but below average in other major offensive categories, including batting average, runs scored and hits.
Madris, who bats left and throws right, has 72 major league games under his belt but none since 2024. He had two home runs and 12 RBIs in those games.
In Triple-A this year, Madris batted .277 with 14 home runs, 52 RBIs and slugged at a solid .519 clip in 71 games.
The Landers said that they will bank on Madris’s power, plate discipline and ability to produce with runners in scoring position.
SSG Landers players line up to high-five each other after winning a game against the Kiwoom Heroes on June 3.SSG LANDERS
They have not had much success with foreign players all season.
The Landers signed new pitcher Drew VerHagen in December 2025 but terminated that deal over a failed physical in January. His replacement, Anthony Veneziano, was cut on July 4 after going just 2-5 with a 6.10 ERA.
Their one other foreign pitcher, Mitch White, made only six starts this year due to shoulder problems and had a 4.11 ERA before being waived in June. White’s temporary fill-in, Ginjiro Hiramoto, went 0-3 with a 9.56 ERA in four outings, prompting the Landers to cut bait in early June as well.
Thomas Hatch, who joined the team in mid-June, is 1-4 with a 7.62 ERA in six starts.
The Landers’ Asian quota pitcher, Shota Takeda of Japan, has a 1-7 record and a 7.43 ERA in 15 appearances.
Even the usually reliable Heredia got off to a slow start to his fourth KBO campaign this year, and he is batting .282, the lowest mark in his KBO career.
