Ulsan Pitcher Naga Reaches 100 Strikeouts, A Franchise First

The professional baseball team Ulsan Whales announced today (September 13) that foreign pitcher Taisei Naga has become the first player in franchise history to record 100 strikeouts in a single season.

Starting as the pitcher in a game against the Lotte Giants held at Sangdong Baseball Stadium in Gimhae, Gyeongsangnam-do, on September 10, Naga struck out the opposing third batter, Cho Minyoung, in the bottom of the fourth inning to claim his 100th strikeout of the season.

With this milestone, Naga leaves his mark as the very first pitcher in the history of the Ulsan franchise, which is currently playing its inaugural season, to reach 100 strikeouts in a season.

This season, Naga has appeared in 21 games, pitching 120 innings with an 8-3 record and a 3.45 ERA.

He has averaged 5⅔ innings per game, serving as the anchor for the expansion team's starting rotation.

"I am truly honored and happy to leave my name as the Ulsan Whales' first pitcher to reach 100 strikeouts," Naga said. "Since this is a record made possible thanks to the support of my teammates and fans, I will do my best for the team's victory in the remaining games and pitch with a strong sense of responsibility until the very end to achieve our goal of winning the championship."

Ulsan manager Chang Won-jin stated, "Naga has consistently maintained his spot in the starting rotation throughout the season and anchored the team. I expect him to continue performing like an ace for the rest of the season."

(Photo courtesy of Ulsan Whales, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.