Korea veteran pitcher Park Chan-ho has been linked to the rumor that the New York Yankees are hoping to sell the relief pitcher in an attempt to reshape their unsteady bullpen this season, according to an expert on Major League Baseball.

ESPN baseball columnist, Jayson Stark, reported earlier this week that the Yankees are “trying to unload Park” possibly before the July 31 trade deadline.

Neither the team nor Park, however, have commented on the rumor. No team in the league, so far, has shown interest in acquiring the 37-year-old pitcher.

Pundits say the right-handed pitcher, who throws a fastball as his main pitch, no longer offers as much promise as he used to for big league teams, considering his lack of stamina and also his unimpressive performance this year.

This season, the former LA Dodgers pitcher has a 5.40 ERA in 26 games out of the bullpen, giving up seven home runs and 38 hits in 33 innings pitched.

With Park mired in trade rumors, the local media cautiously floated the possibility that he would return to Korea to play in the Korean baseball league for the first time in his career.

But the first Korean-born big leaguer is likely to retain his stint in the world’s best baseball league. 

Park Chan-ho is earning $1.2 million this season.                                          AP-Yonhap News

Debuting with the LA Dodgers in 1994, he has pitched over a span of 15 seasons, having a 122-96 record with a 4.37 ERA.

The veteran pitcher is only one win shy of former LA Dodgers pitcher Hideo Nomo’s record of 123 wins, which is still the all-time best for an Asia-born pitcher.

Moreover, Park announced earlier he has no more ambition in his career but for winning the World Series title, a dream of all major leaguers.

He played on numerous teams over the years, including the Texas Rangers, San Diego Padres and New York Mets before returning to the Dodgers in late 2007.

The Korean pioneer moved to the Philadelphia Phillies at the end of the 2008 season. In 2009, he had a successful season in the Philadelphia Phillies’ bullpen.

Despite a rather unimpressive performance at the beginning of the season in their starting rotation, Park later proved himself as a relief pitcher. Last year, he had a 2.52 ERA in 38 games, conceding just three home runs in 36.1 innings pitched, helping the Phillies get to the World Series before losing to the New York Yankees.

The following year, Park signed a $1.2 million deal with the Yankees in an attempt to take what is believed to be his last chance at winning an MLB title. 

By Oh Kyu-wook(596story@heraldm.com)