SSG Landers sign former MLB pitcher Drew VerHagen

The SSG Landers announced connected Saturday that they had acquired erstwhile MLB pitcher Drew VerHagen, conscionable arsenic their erstwhile ace Drew Anderson reportedly returned to the large leagues.

VerHagen, 35, agreed to a one-year woody worthy up to $900,000; $750,000 successful salary, $50,000 successful signing bonuses and $100,000 successful bonuses.

The right-handed pitcher was selected successful the 4th circular of the 2012 MLB draught by the Detroit Tigers and made his debut for the aforesaid squad 2 years later. He remained with the Tigers done the 2019 season, past played for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Japan's NPB league successful 2020 and 2021.

He past returned to the United States, playing for the St. Louis Cardinals successful 2022 and 2023, earlier returning to the Fighters for 2 much seasons. In 206 vocation MLB games, including 8 starts, helium was 18-12, 4.98 ERA, 234 strikeouts and 115 walks successful 281 2/3 innings.

In the Triple-A league, his relation was different; retired of 76 appearances, 56 were arsenic a starter. He went 20-20, 3.98 ERA, 258 strikeouts and 103 walks successful 323 1/3 innings. In 4 seasons astatine NPB, helium was 18-19, 3.68 ERA, 278 strikeouts and 78 walks successful 283 1/3 innings.

In respective performances

In 2025, helium made much appearances for the Fighters insignificant league squad (15) than for the NPB nine (six), with a 3-3 grounds and a 6.08 ERA successful those NPB games. Landers describes him arsenic an assertive pitcher astatine 198 cm tall, who tin overpower hitters with his fastball and 4 secondary shots: slider, changeup, curveball and sweeper. "We emotion his quality to power batters and deed the onslaught portion with precision," they said. "He has the composure to get retired of trouble, which is simply a immense asset. Given his MLB and NPB experience, we expect him to instrumentality a batch of innings successful our starting rotation."

KBO rules

Teams successful the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) tin person 2 enactment pitchers, and from 2026, an further 1 from Asia oregon Australia. The Landers signed Japanese pitcher Shota Takeda arsenic an Asian quota successful November, and VerHagen replaces Anderson, who reportedly signed a one-year woody with the Tigers.

Anderson, 31, was a ascendant starter successful the KBO during his 2 seasons; 2.91 ERA, 23-10 grounds and 403 strikeouts, the astir successful the league. In 2025, helium finished 2nd successful the KBO with 245 strikeouts, portion Cody Ponce was archetypal with a grounds 252. Anderson was with the Tigers successful outpouring grooming successful 2024 and antecedently played for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp successful the NPB and played 19 MLB games from 2017-2021.

Landers' different pitcher successful 2025 was half-Korean Mitch White, who had an 11-4 grounds and a 2.87 ERA successful 24 starts.