The Korea Baseball Organizations Doosan Bears announced that theyve signed left-hander to a one-year deal thatll guarantee him $1MM, coming in the form of an $800K salary and $200K signing bonus ( ). Itll be the first stint overseas for Irvin, whos pitched in the majors with the Phillies, As, Orioles and Twins over the past six seasons. The now 30-year-old southpaw (31 in January) was a quality innings eater for the 2021-22 As, starting 62 games and pitching to a 4.11 ERA. Irvins 90.7 mph average fastball and 16.8% Lawrence Butler Jersey strikeout rate were both well below average, but he also demonstrated pinpoint command, limiting opponents to a 5.2% walk rate. The Orioles acquired Irvin from the As in exchange for heading into the 2023 season, hoping to solidify the back of their rotation. It didnt pan out. Irvin was hit hard early and surprisingly optioned to Triple-A just weeks into the season. He returned later in the year and rebounded to finish with a 4.42 ERA in 77 1/3 frames, spending more time in the bullpen than in the rotation. The 2024 season didnt work out much better; Irvin was tagged for a 4.86 ERA in 16 starts and nine relief appearances before being designated for a signment and heading to the Twins via waivers. He allowed five runs in 3 2/3 frames with Minnesota, finishing out the season with a 5.11 ERA. The Twins outrighted him at the end of September, and he elected free agency in early October. In all, Irvin heads to the KBO with a career 4.54 ERA, 17.1% strikeout rate and 5.6% walk rate in 593 big league innings. The Bears pre s release announcing his signing specifically touted the southpaws great control, which has indeed been Irvins greatest strength in the big leagues thus far. Whenever a pitcher heads overseas on a one-year deal, its po sible that some tweaks (new pitch, altered mechanics or pitch usage rates) yield big results and pique the interest of MLB clubs the following winter. But, its just as po sible that Irvin will pitch his way into more lucrative opportunities in Asia. The $1MM salary hes receiving this year is the maximum for first-year foreign signees in the KBO, but he could earn a raise next season or perhaps garner interest from a team in Japan, where players typically have greater earning power than in Korea. Jacob Wilson Jersey