Lee Eui-ri's 130 million won salary, and the 155 km lefty who closed out the 9th from the KIA bullpen
Teammate Jeon Sang-hyeon, envious of the 24-year-old lefty, said, "I can't throw 155 km." On September 6 against KT, Lee pitched 1 scoreless inning in the 9th with 2 strikeouts.
Translated from Korean with AI assistance. Read the original. Sources and original publication dates are retained.
130 million won. That is Lee Eui-ri's 2026 season salary as listed on the official KBO player page. It is less than half of teammate Jeon Sang-hyeon's (310 million won), who shares the same bullpen. Yet on September 7, that same Jeon Sang-hyeon, in a MyDaily interview, said this about Lee Eui-ri: "I'm so jealous."
Lee Eui-ri's profile, elbow surgery, and the bullpen
Lee Eui-ri was born on June 16, 2002, and as of September 8, 2026, is 24 years old by international age. A left-handed thrower and hitter, Lee came up through Gwangju Suchang Elementary, Chungjang Middle School, and Gwangju Jeil High School, and joined KIA in 2021 as a first-round pick with a signing bonus of 300 million won. Lee won Rookie of the Year in the debut season, then posted 10 wins in 2022 and 11 wins in 2023, reaching double-digit wins in two straight years. The 161 strikeouts in 2022 ranked 4th in the league that year, and the 156 in 2023 ranked 5th. The debut season line was 19 games, 4 wins, 5 losses, 93 strikeouts, and a 3.61 ERA.
On June 18, 2024, KIA announced that Lee Eui-ri would undergo left elbow ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction and bone chip removal at Yokohama Minami Hospital in Japan, as the club said through Newsis. It is the ligament reconstruction surgery commonly known as Tommy John surgery. Since returning, Lee has been pitching in relief rather than starting in the second half of the 2026 season, and on September 7 MyDaily described Lee as an indispensable piece of KIA's second-half bullpen. Lee's official KBO career record is 116 games, 29 wins, 34 losses, 4 saves, 1 hold, 486 innings, 524 strikeouts, and a 4.61 ERA (as of September 8, 2026).
Lee Eui-ri's 130 million won salary: where does it rank among KIA pitchers?
The salary dropped within a year. Lee's pay of 170 million won in the 2025 season became 130 million won in 2026. That is a cut of 40 million won, or 23.5%. Picking out KIA pitchers from the 2026 salary ranking compiled by ScorebaseSports Daily makes the position even clearer (rankings follow that compilation's listing).
| Ranking in the compilation | Player | 2026 salary |
|---|---|---|
| 17 | Yang Hyeon-jong | 800 million won |
| 31 | Hong Geon-hee | 650 million won |
| 50 | Jo Sang-woo | 400 million won |
| 64 | Jeon Sang-hyeon | 310 million won |
| 66 | Jung Hae-young | 300 million won |
| 150 | Lee Eui-ri | 130 million won |
| 158 | Seong Yeong-tak | 120 million won |
| 179 | Yoon Yeong-chul | 100 million won |
Jeon Sang-hyeon (30) holds the KIA franchise record for career holds with 119, and Jo Sang-woo (32) is a free agent signee on a two-year, 1.5 billion won deal. Below Lee Eui-ri in the same compilation are Seong Yeong-tak (120 million won) and Yoon Yeong-chul (100 million won). But what Jeon Sang-hyeon and manager Lee Beom-ho both pointed to was not the salary table but Lee Eui-ri's velocity.
The 9th inning against KT on September 6: why Lee came in when it wasn't a save situation
In the game in Gwangju on September 6, KIA beat KT 8-3. With a 5-run lead, it was not a save situation, yet it was Lee Eui-ri who took the mound in the top of the 9th. The result was 1 scoreless inning with 2 strikeouts. MyDaily reported that Lee had already warmed up in the bullpen during the game. With this win, KIA stood 4th at 66 wins, 52 losses, and 2 draws, with a .559 winning percentage (as of September 6, 2026; it changes with every game because the regular season is still under way).
What Jeon Sang-hyeon envied was the velocity. "Because I can't throw 155 km..." Jeon said on September 7. Jeon's own average fastball this 2026 season is in the mid-140s km range. Manager Lee Beom-ho also said on July 17 to Star News that Lee Eui-ri is "a resource who can throw 155 km, something other teams don't have." However, velocity is not an item listed in the official KBO basic records, so the figure of 155 km is based on media reports and statements from team officials.
What remains is the role. The bench is using Lee Eui-ri in the second-half bullpen, bringing Lee in even for a 9th inning that is not a save situation, but in a July 17 Star News interview, manager Lee Beom-ho laid out the direction as meaning that even if Lee Eui-ri finds a feel in the bullpen, starting is the right path in the long run. "The best thing is to go back to starting."
Related official sites
- KBO official website — check daily team standings and game results at the source
- KBO Lee Eui-ri player record — page listing salary, signing bonus, and career stats
- KIA Tigers official website — the club's official channel
- KIA Tigers roster — current pitching staff entries
Featured image · Photo = Pexels (Ayyeee Ayyeee)
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