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The Hanwha Eagles have parted ways with starting pitcher Wilkel Hernandez and signed former major league left-hander Bruce Zimmermann to fill his spot in the rotation, the club announced over the weekend.

Zimmermann, 31, will earn US$300,000 in salary for the remainder of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) season, with a $70,000 signing bonus and the potential for another $70,000 in incentives, according to Yonhap News. The Eagles announced the signing on Monday, two days after releasing Hernandez.

Coverage comparison

Yonhap News reported both moves in separate articles. The first, published Sunday, detailed Hernandez's release after a disappointing first season in the KBO. The second, published Monday, introduced Zimmermann as his replacement.

According to Yonhap, Hernandez went 3-6 with a 4.92 ERA in 16 starts. The Venezuelan right-hander began the season as the Eagles' Opening Day starter on March 28 but struggled early, posting a 5.72 ERA over his first six starts through April. He improved in May with a 2.70 ERA over four starts, but faltered again in June and July.

Yonhap noted that Hernandez was pulled after just 1 1/3 innings on July 4 and, in his first start after the All-Star break on July 18, was automatically ejected for hitting opposing batter Matt Davidson of the Kiwoom Heroes in the head with a fastball in the first inning.

Zimmermann brings major league experience to the Eagles. Yonhap reported that he has appeared in 40 major league games, including 28 starts, for the Baltimore Orioles, the Milwaukee Brewers, and the St. Louis Cardinals, with a career 8-11 record and a 5.63 ERA over 169 1/3 innings. In 2026, he made one relief appearance for the Cardinals and logged 15 starts for their Triple-A team in Memphis, going 5-3 with a 3.78 ERA in 78 2/3 innings.

The Eagles said Zimmermann has excellent command of every pitch in his arsenal, including a four-seam fastball, slider, forkball, sinker, cutter, and curveball.

Key claims

  • The Hanwha Eagles signed former major league pitcher Bruce Zimmermann to a contract worth $300,000 in salary for the rest of the KBO season, plus a $70,000 signing bonus and up to $70,000 in incentives (Yonhap).
  • Zimmermann replaces Wilkel Hernandez, who was released Sunday (Yonhap).
  • Hernandez's first KBO season ended with a 3-6 record and a 4.92 ERA in 16 starts, with a 5.72 ERA over his first six starts (Yonhap).
  • The Eagles signed Hernandez and Owen White during the offseason to replace their top two starters from a season ago, Cody Ponce and Ryan Weiss, both of whom signed with major league clubs (Yonhap).
  • The Eagles have lost all three games following the midseason break and are in sixth place with a 40-43-3 record, trailing the Doosan Bears for the fifth and final postseason spot (Yonhap). (Note: One Yonhap article cites the record as 40-43-3; another cites it as 40-43-2.)
  • The Eagles were runners-up to the LG Twins in the Korean Series last year (Yonhap).