1G Run and Release → Former Hanwha Smith, who left after disparaging "trash country" 韓, signed a minor contract with PIT

1G Run and Release → Former Hanwha Smith, who left after disparaging "trash country" 韓, signed a minor contract with PIT

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Birch Smith (35), who left Korea in one game after leaving a nightmare for Hanwha Eagles fans, has become a journeyman who changes his uniform for the fourth time in a year.스포츠토토

MLB Trade Rumors, which reported the Major League transfer, said on the 14th (Korea Standard Time), "The Pittsburgh Pirates announced the list of 13 invited players for spring training and announced that they had signed minor league contracts with right-hander Smith and outfielder Bryce Johnson."

"Smith is expected to compete for the last spot on the Pittsburgh roster this spring. It seems that David Bedna, Colin Holderman, Dennis Santana, Kamen Murzinski and Caleb Ferguson have at least five spots in the Pittsburgh bullpen," the media said, explaining that it is not easy for Smith to re-enter the big league.
Smith, who made his major league debut with the San Diego Padres in 2013, went through the Kansas City Royals, Milwaukee Brewers, San Francisco Giants, and Oakland Athletics, recording a career-high 5-11-1 save with a 6.03 ERA in 102 games through 2021.

Smith, who failed to establish himself in the big leagues, signed a contract with the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) Seibu Lions in 2022 and crossed the Pacific Ocean. He did not have a bad performance in 20 games with one win, four holds, one save and an ERA of 3.29, but played only 38 ⅓ innings due to frequent injuries.

After the end of the 2022 season, Smith failed to renew his contract due to differences in opinions of the Seibu club. Afterwards, he entered the KBO League by signing a contract worth a total of $1 million with Hanwha, which treated him as the first starter.
As a result, it became the worst contract in Hanwha's history. Smith took the mound as a starter in the season opener against the Kiwoom Heroes on April 1, 2023, and after allowing three hits, one out, two strikeouts, and two runs in two ⅔ innings, he left the mound complaining of pain.

The game, in which he threw a total of 60 pitches, was Smith's first and last appearance in the KBO League. Later, he was diagnosed with "fine damage to his muscles that did not significantly affect his pitching" after X-rays and MRIs, but Smith failed to take the mound again.

In the end, on April 19 that year, Hanwha decided to announce waivers without waiting any longer for Smith to recover. Since then, Smith has stirred controversy by using derogatory expressions against South Korea, saying, "Take care in a trash country," during a war of words with his fans on social media.
Having signed a minor league contract with the Tampa Bay Rays in January last year, Smith performed poorly in six exhibition games with an ERA of 8.44 in six games. Chances were high that he would start the new season in the minor leagues, but suddenly the Miami Marlins acquired Smith in a trade. Being included in the opening roster, Smith successfully returned to the big leagues.

Smith, who had two wins and one hold with the 4.25 ERA in 25 games for the Miami Marlins, was assigned to the DFA in June last year. Baltimore reached out to him after failing to avoid releasing him. Smith again took the opportunity to wear the Baltimore Orioles and posted 2-1 record with a 5.74 ERA in 25 games.
Smith, who played a key role in the pursuit team, was shown a "glass body" temperament at the end of the regular season. Smith, who was diagnosed with a sprained right groin muscle in mid-September, ended the season on the injured list. Smith ended the 2024 season with four wins, one loss and an ERA of 4.95 in 50 games, and is now free. Having failed to find a new team until the end of the year, Smith has become a journeyman to change his uniform for the fourth time in a year.