The proud KBO league export myth collapsed under 3 home runs.
Eric Peddy (St. Louis Cardinals) started on the 12th (Korean time) in the spring training game against the Miami Marlins at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Jupiter, Florida, and suffered a loss after allowing 6 runs on 7 hits (3 home runs) and 1 walk over 4 innings.
The start of the first inning was fresh. Against Miami's top batting order of Javier Edwards, Nick Fortes, and Jesus Sanchez, he quickly recorded a 13-pitch three-up, three-down inning. He easily induced groundouts using sinkers and cutters as his key pitches.
In the second inning, with a score of 0-0, Peddy allowed leadoff hitter Dane Myers to walk on a full count. He caught the next batter, Yona Bride, with a fielder's choice at shortstop and breathed a sigh of relief, but allowed Griffin Conine a 2-run homer with 1 out and a runner on first base. A 90-mile-per-hour (144 km) inside cutter went unfortunately for a home run that traveled 332 feet (101 m) to right center. Peddy got the next batter, Otto Lopez, with a ground ball to shortstop and Mack Merlino with a line drive to shortstop, ending the inning without any further runs.
Trailing 0-2 in the third inning, he lost focus with 2 outs. He quickly recorded 2 outs on just 4 pitches, but faced Fortes with 2 outs and no runners on base, yielding a solo home run to left field. A first pitch sweeper that went high inside was the cause of this.
In the fourth inning, trailing 1-3, Peddy faced a scoring threat after leadoff hitter Myers got a single to right and then stole second base. He caught Bride with a pop-up to center field, but during that time, the runner on second, Myers, advanced to third. He then allowed a 1-RBI single to right by Conine, who had previously homered, and a 2-run homer to Lopez. Again, a first pitch sweeper went high, leading to the ball going over the right center fence.
Peddy continued to face trouble as he gave up consecutive hits to Joe Mack and Edwards, putting him in a two-runner situation with 2 outs, but he managed to prevent further scoring by getting Fortes to ground out to third base.
In the fifth inning, trailing 3-6, Peddy handed the baton to Ryan Helsley, finishing with 62 pitches (42 strikes). His spring training earned run average soared from 1.50 to 6.30.
Peddy, who won 20 games and secured the regular season MVP with the NC Dinos in the 2023 KBO league, signed a 2-year contract worth $15 million (approximately 21.7 billion won) with the Chicago White Sox after the season ended, successfully returning to the big leagues. Peddy played the role of ace while the team was at the bottom, and he was traded to St. Louis on July 30 last year as part of the White Sox's rebuilding policy.
Peddy left a record of 2 wins and 5 losses with an earned run average of 3.72 (55⅔ innings, 23 earned runs) in 10 games (starting) with St. Louis last year. This year, he was designated as a starting pitcher for the Cardinals and steadily raised his pace during spring training, but faced the powerful Miami lineup and received a valuable wake-up call with 3 home runs.
[OSEN]