Foreign pitcher Roenis Elias (35-SSG Landers) has lifted the veil.
Elias gave up three runs on five hits (one home run) in five innings in a start against the LG Twins at SSG Landers Field in Incheon on April 24. He walked four and struck out two. His pitch count was 91 (53 strikes). His fastball was clocked at 150 km/h. With a 5-3 lead, he was removed from the game to earn the win.
The spotlight was on Elias. Elias was acquired on April 4 to replace the injured Enrique Romero. Elias, who made his big league debut in 2014, has a career (seven-year) 메이저놀이터 major league record of 22-24 with a 3.96 ERA. He also represented Cuba in the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC). In announcing the signing, SSG said, “We see him as a complete left-handed pitcher with a diverse repertoire of pitches, including his command of his pitches, his changeup, and his game management skills.”
Elias, who arrived in the country on the 7th, made his KBO debut after checking his physical condition. SSG manager Kim Won-hyung asked him to “do what he wants to do” before the game. LG manager Yeom Kyung-yup warned, “He throws a curveball sometimes, but his deciding pitch is a changeup.”
Elias gave up his first run in the top of the second inning after walking Kim Min-sung to start the inning with a 4-0 lead before Lee Jae-won hit a two-run homer. The second pitch, a 146 km/h fastball, was pitched toward the body and Lee scooped it up and over the left field fence. The biggest threat came in the top of the fourth inning. A walk to Oh Ji-hwan and a single up the middle by Moon Bo-kyung put runners at first and third, and he promptly gave up a single to left to Kim Min-sung. Elias got lucky. Moon was tagged out at third base with the runner on first. He then walked Lee Jae-won on an automatic double play and struck out Kim Ki-yeon on a 1-2 pitch.
Elias, who also took the mound in the fifth, gave up back-to-back singles to put runners on first and third, but induced Austin to ground into a double play. Kim turned to his bullpen in the sixth inning. Elias threw 53.8 percent of his pitches on fastballs (49). He mixed in his changeup (27) and curveball (15). His fastball command and ability to induce ground balls are excellent. His offspeed pitches are a work in progress.