Samsung Lions give O'Loughlin a second extension after pitcher posts 4-0 May

The Samsung Lions extended Australian left-hander Jack O'Loughlin's contract for a second time Thursday, handing him a $100,000 deal through July 16 after he went 4-0 with a 2.70 ERA in May, the Korea Times reported.

O'Loughlin's turnaround illustrates how the KBO's 2024 injury-replacement rule can reshape a team's fortunes — a late-season pickup turned into a rotation anchor now helping Samsung lead the entire league.

O'Loughlin arrived in South Korea in March as a stopgap, brought in under a KBO rule — in effect since 2024 — that lets clubs sign temporary foreign replacements when a roster player is expected to miss six weeks or more, according to the Korea Times. He was acquired to cover for injured American starter Matt Manning.

His first six-week deal, worth $50,000 and running through April 30, produced modest results: a 0-2 record and a 4.50 ERA. A follow-up contract valued at $30,000 carried him into May, the Korea Times reported.

May transformed O'Loughlin's standing with the organization. The left-hander went 4-0 that month with a 2.70 ERA, striking out 20 batters in 23⅓ innings, per the Korea Times.

Samsung responded by nearly tripling his compensation, handing him the new six-week extension worth $100,000 through July 16, according to the Korea Times.

The Lions entered Friday sitting atop the KBO standings at 30-18-0, also posting the league's best team ERA at 3.94, the Korea Times reported.

O'Loughlin's evolution from a last-minute injury substitute into one of the Lions' most dependable starters stands as one of the more unexpected stories of the KBO's first half, the Korea Times reported.