American baseball player Matt Davidson reflects on his emotional departure from the NC Dinos and his new beginnings with the Kiwoom Heroes in the KBO, focusing on regaining form and leading young teammates.
NC Dinos are heating up the competition for 5th place in the KBO league, nearing a .500 winning percentage. They are currently 7th, chasing 5th-place Doosan Bears and 6th-place Hanwha Eagles, with strong pitching and a newly acquired hitter showing promise.
The NC Dinos announced the signing of American infielder Blaine Crim to a US$275,000 deal for the remainder of the 2026 Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) season. Crim, who previously played for the Texas Rangers and Colorado Rockies, is scheduled to join the Dinos on Thursday, replacing Matt Davidson.
The NC Dinos announced the release of first baseman Matt Davidson on Friday, two years after he led the KBO in home runs. Davidson, 35, will play his final game against the Kiwoom Heroes as the Dinos finalize the acquisition of a new foreign bat to boost competitiveness.
NC Dinos secured a 6-3 victory over Samsung Lions, powered by ace Koo Chang-mo's strong pitching. The win extended NC's winning streak to two games and kept them in 7th place, while Samsung missed an opportunity to advance to 2nd.
NC Dinos have activated pitchers Lee Yong-jun and Song Myung-gi from military service. Lee Yong-jun has been immediately registered to the first team, while Song Myung-gi will undergo a performance check in the second team before joining.
KT Wiz and Samsung Lions are now joint leaders in the KBO League after defeating NC Dinos 10-5 and Lotte Giants 7-5 respectively. SSG Landers lost 5-4 to KIA Tigers and NC Dinos extended their losing streaks to six and five games.
프로야구 NC 다이노스가 투수진 부상 이탈과 부진으로 불펜 구성에 어려움을 겪고 있다. 류진욱과 임정호를 1군에서 제외하고 손주환과 신영우를 콜업했으며, 구창모가 선발 등판한다.
Drew VerHagen, an American pitcher who had his contract with SSG Landers terminated after failing a physical, says he will treat any potential start against them like any other game. The right-hander signed with NC Dinos as a short-term replacement for injured ace Riley Thompson and has performed well with a 1-0 record and 2.89 ERA in four starts. The Landers originally signed VerHagen to a $900,000 deal in December before terminating it in January.
NC Dinos rookie Ko Jun-hwi, 18, went 2-for-4 with his first career home run and first stolen base in his first start, leading the Dinos to a 12-2 victory over the Kiwoom Heroes at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. Ko became only the second player in KBO history to record multiple hits, a home run and a steal in his first start.
The NC Dinos are off to a rough start in the 2026 KBO season with just eight wins in 20 games, after squeaking into the postseason last year. They have lost two straight to the Kiwoom Heroes, scoring only once across those games. Manager Lee Ho-joon remains optimistic, noting veterans and young players are working together to fight through the slump. Lee had a one-on-one with struggling shortstop Kim Ju-won (2 RBIs this season vs. 65 last year) to help him adjust his mindset regarding automated ball-strike calls.
