SSG Landers' new foreign hitter Bligh Madris to debut this week

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, July 21 (Yonhap) -- The SSG Landers announced Tuesday their new foreign hitter Bligh Madris will make his South Korea debut this week.

The Landers signed Madris on Thursday as a short-term replacement for their injured outfielder Guillermo Heredia. Madris, 30, will make US$100,000 under his six-week contract.

Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) clubs can sign temporary replacements for foreign players who are out a minimum six weeks with injuries. Heredia is dealing with a left shoulder injury and has not played since July 7.

The Landers said Madris, who began practicing with the club last week, will be placed on their active roster Tuesday ahead of their road game against the Lotte Giants in Busan, some 330 kilometers 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 the last-place Kiwoom Heroes in the 10-team KBO. The Landers suffered a franchise-worst 13-game losing streak earlier this year.

In addition to Heredia, the Landers are also without three regulars -- Choi Jeong, Oh Tae-gon and Ko Myeong-jun. They are third in the KBO with 99 home runs but are 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 they will bank on Madris' power and plate discipline, and his ability to produce with runners in scoring position.

They have not had much success with foreign players all season.

The Landers signed new pitcher Drew VerHagen in December 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 getting 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.