New Bears pitcher Zach Logue eager to capitalize on opportunity to prove himself

Doosan Bears welcoming Zach Logue / Captured from Zach Logue’s Instagram account

Over the previous couple of seasons, left-hander Zach Logue has bounced between the majors and the minors. He made 14 appearances for the Oakland Athletics in 2022, three for the Detroit Tigers in 2023 and two for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2024. In between got here a number of outings throughout Double-A and Triple-A, together with 23 video games for the Gwinnett Stripers, the Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, in 2024.

For 2025, Logue has determined to take his expertise to Korea, the place he might be pitching for the Doosan Bears within the Korea Baseball Group (KBO). The 28-year-old is eager on taking advantage of his likelihood to show his price as a beginning pitcher.

„I believe it is a good alternative for myself to actually get a full pattern dimension and present what I can do,“ Logue informed Yonhap Information Company in a Zoom interview Thursday, talking from his residence in Louisville, Kentucky. „Whether or not it was efficiency based mostly or simply the chance not being there, I have never been capable of set up myself and actually put a full physique of labor collectively. So I believe it is an important alternative in opposition to actually good competitors to place a full season’s price of tape on the market primarily for my future, whether or not that be within the KBO or in Main League Baseball.“

The Bears signed Logue for one 12 months at $800,000 on Dec. 19, after terminating a take care of right-hander Thomas Hatch, whom they’d signed in November, over a failed bodily.

The Bears had additionally signed one other former huge league pitcher, Cole Irvin, in November. Though the Bears stated final month that they’d been keeping track of Logue for 3 years, he wasn’t their first alternative this offseason.

„Clearly, I want I used to be the group’s first alternative, however I believe I can present a number of good innings and a number of worth for Doosan,“ Logue stated. „So that is what I am hoping to indicate this 12 months.“

To that finish, Logue will attempt to construct on the success he had in Triple-A final 12 months. In 23 outings for the Stripers, together with 12 begins, Logue went 5-6 with a 2.68 ERA, whereas placing out 86 batters in 90 2/3 innings. Logue additionally made one outing for the Dodgers‘ Triple-A group in Oklahoma Metropolis.

In these 24 video games final 12 months, Logue held right-handed batters to a .226 batting common, in contrast with a .245 mark in opposition to left-handed batters. In each 2022 and 2023, righties batted .331 in opposition to Logue, who throws from a three-quarter arm slot.

„I undoubtedly had extra success in opposition to righties this previous season than I had within the 12 months or two prior. And I believe it was simply form of leaning into what places work for me the most effective,“ he stated. „With my fastball, I haven’t got a ton of vertical break or journey on it, however with the low slot, it performs up a little bit bit. We leaned into that, throwing that up within the zone after which simply working all my stuff off of that, after which additionally actually making an attempt to be within the zone as a lot as doable, understanding that hitting is difficult and the largest benefit for me, not being a loopy energy pitcher, is to be forward within the depend.“

Logue additionally stated the sweeper, a variation of the slider with a dramatic horizontal break, has turn out to be „one thing pure“ to him because of his arm slot.

New Doosan Bears pitcher Zach Logue indicators his contract with the Korea Baseball Group membership, on this photograph supplied by the Bears, Dec. 19, 2024. Yonhap

„That is undoubtedly a giant swing-and-miss pitch for me in opposition to lefties,“ he stated. „And in opposition to righties, I discovered I had a number of success final 12 months simply throwing it again door. Lots of occasions, I am going to get a free strike simply because it appears to be like like a ball for a very long time after which it finally ends up being a strike. After which I am going to attempt to backfoot it a little bit bit with two strikes.“

In Seoul, Logue might be reunited along with his former Athletics teammate Cole Irvin, whom Logue credit with serving to him in his first 12 months in MLB.

The 2 left-handers will now attempt to take the Bears deeper into the postseason than final 12 months, once they misplaced within the wild card spherical in opposition to the KT Wiz. To perform that, Logue stated he’ll attempt to hold his ears and thoughts open when working with the Bears‘ workers for the primary time this spring.

„I believe a giant a part of it will likely be leaning into the teaching workers and the pitching coaches, particularly early on, and simply making an attempt to get suggestions on how they’d assault completely different hitters, as a result of it could be a little bit bit completely different to how we’ve got considered it earlier than,“ Logue stated. „Additionally, simply making an attempt to not do an excessive amount of and belief your stuff. There is a motive why you’ve got had success prior to now. So making an attempt to belief that and run with it, and never put an excessive amount of stress on your self for every particular person outing to be good, as a result of I believe that is when you may get a little bit tense and issues can spiral perhaps.“

Logue stated his purpose for his first KBO season is „to make each begin.“

„Among the worth that I deliver is throwing a number of strikes and being environment friendly,“ he stated. „‚m hoping to make each begin and go deep into video games as a lot as doable. If I am going deep, normally which means we’re not giving up too many runs. And as a group, making a deep run within the playoffs. I believe that may be a number of enjoyable. And with hopefully the assistance of the international gamers, we will make that occur.“ (Yonhap)