Yang Hyeon-jong becomes oldest Rangers player to make debut as a starter

Texas Rangers’ Yang Hyeon-jong (picture), who is making his debut as a starting pitcher in the Major League Baseball (MLB), has set a new record in the club’s history.

Yang will start in a road game against Minnesota Twins played at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Tuesday. The Rangers said in its game note on Monday that Yang will become the oldest player in the club’s history to make his debut as a starter. Born on March 1, 1988, Yang will become 33 years and 65 days old on Tuesday (local time). The previous record was set by Austin Bibens-Dirkx on June 1, 2017 at 32 years and 32 days old.

Yang, who has pitched eight and 2/3 innings this season, allowing two runs and posting an average ERA of 2.08 in two games as a reliever this season, is making his MLB debut as a starter in place of Japanese pitcher Kohei Arihara. He is missing starts as he is being treated with a finger issue. Southpaw Lewis Thorpe, who has an average ERA of 3.60 in two games this season without winning or losing, will start for the Twins.


Heon-Jae Lee uni@donga.com