The SSG Landers of the Korea Baseball Organization announced Wednesday that they’ve signed right-hander Pedro Avila for the remainder of the 2026 season. Cleveland released Avila, who’d been pitching with their Triple-A club, last week in order to facilitate the move. Per Jee-ho Yoo of South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency, Avila is guaranteed $380K for the final few months of the season and can earn another $200K via incentives. He’s taking the roster spot of former big league lefty Anthony Veneziano, whom the Landers released after 16 shaky starts.
Avila, 29, is a veteran of five big league seasons. He’s pitched 146 1/3 major league innings between the Padres and Guardians. In that time, he’s logged a solid 3.51 ERA with a 23.8% strikeout rate, a 10.6% walk rate and a 49.2% ground-ball rate, working primarily as a multi-inning reliever/swingman. Avila also spent a season in Japan, starting 14 games (plus a relief appearance) for the Yakult Swallows in 2025. He turned in a 4.04 ERA, 17.8% strikeout rate, 8.7% walk rate and 43.9% grounder rate in that brief stint before opting to return to the Guards on a minor league pact in the offseason.
Avila’s return to the Guardians organization hasn’t gone as hoped. He’s worked primarily out of the rotation in Triple-A Columbus but been tagged for a 7.50 ERA in 60 innings. His strikeout, walk and ground-ball rates have all trended the wrong direction. This year’s 92.1 mph average fastball is down considerably from his career mark of 93.6 mph, though perhaps that’s to be expected for a pitcher that’s typically functioned as a reliever but is now working four to six innings at a time.
By signing on in the KBO, Avila will guarantee himself more money than he’d have earned while playing out the rest of the 2026 season on a minor league contract. A strong half-season with his new club could position him to re-sign in the KBO for the 2027 season — be it with the Landers or another team — at which point a guarantee in the $700K to $1MM range would be in play.
Veneziano, 28, signed a one-year deal that guaranteed him $750K with the opportunity to earn another $100K via incentives. He’s been hit hard in 16 starts, working to a 6.10 ERA with a subpar 18.3% strikeout rate for the Landers. His 8.6% walk rate, but he’s given up far too much loud contact, evidenced by 14 homers allowed in just 79 2/3 innings (1.58 HR/9).
Veneziano has a 3.98 ERA in 40 2/3 major league innings as a reliever. He’s sat a bit better than 94 mph with his heater and logged an above-average 11.8% swinging-strike rate in that role. Perhaps he hoped a nice run working as a starter in the KBO would produce some rotation opportunities back home in North America, but Veneziano could still garner some interest bullpen-hungry teams looking for a lefty to add to the depth chart on a minor league contract.
