LG Twins Add Yacksel Rios to Bullpen After Replacing Yonny Chirinos

The LG Twins added pitcher Yacksel Rios to their roster before Wednesday's game against the SSG Landers at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. Manager Youm Kyoung-youb said Rios will pitch out of the bullpen rather than the starting rotation. Rios has little starting experience in the upper minors or majors, and the Twins already rely on soft-tossing relievers who depend on guile.

Youm said Rios looked good in recent bullpen sessions and will be ready to pitch immediately. The manager plans to deploy him in high-leverage situations and as the first reliever summoned when a starter is knocked around early. Rios will otherwise serve as the setup man in front of starter-turned-closer Son Ju-young.

Youm said the two pitchers will be the important pieces for the bullpen going forward, with Rios in particular becoming a core member. The Twins will not use Rios in three straight games to keep him healthy for the postseason. 5 mph with his sinker in his one big-league outing with the Chicago Cubs this year.

The LG Twins replaced struggling starter Yonny Chirinos with Rios last week. The team holds first place in the Korea Baseball Organization with a 37-23-0 record despite middling pitching statistics. Youm said the club survived May with the league's third-best mark of 16-10-0.

He noted the bats have improved compared with April or May, though the team still faces issues.