The Cleveland Guardians made a couple of transactions at the MLB trade deadline, sending two veteran pitchers to new professional baseball teams. A little less than a week later, they sent another veteran pitcher to a new team, this time, over in Korea.
According to the Guardian’s official player development account, the team has sold the contract of veteran right-handed pitcher Vince Velasquez to the Lotte Giants, a professional team of the KBO in Korea.
The contract of Vince Velasquez has been sold to the Lotte Giants (Korea).
— GuardsInsider (@GuardsInsider) August 6, 2025
The 33-year-old pitcher was in the Guardians’ minor league system, and after nine years in the big leagues between five different teams, he’s heading overseas for his next step in his professional baseball career.
This season with the Columbus Clippers, the Guardians’ Triple-A affiliate, Velasquez, in 18 starts, had a 3.42 ERA and a 5-4 record. He struck out 95 batters, walked 50, and allowed eight home runs.
MORE: Guardians to trade Cy Young starter Shane Bieber to Blue Jays
While he didn’t make the Majors with the Guardians, he has spent the majority of his career in the majors. From 2015 to 2023, the veteran right-hander has started 144 games and had a 38-51 record with a 4.88 ERA.
He spent the bulk of his MLB career with the Philadelphia Phillies, where he had a 4.93 ERA in six seasons. Velasquez also had an incredible play, throwing a ball with his non-dominant hand after getting hit by a comebacker on the mound to get the out at first.
The former second-round pick in 2010 is heading overseas to Korea to play with the Lotte Giants after his brief stint in the Guardians’ minor league system. The Giants are 3rd in the KBO at 58-45 this season.
While not a trade, the Guardians, nearly a week after the trade deadline, are seeing a former MLB pitcher head to a new professional sports team. This time, Velasquez is joining the Korean Baseball League, as his contract has been sold to the Lotte Giants.
MORE MLB NEWS:
