(LEAD) Cardinals' Kim Kwang-hyun to throw simulated game, set to rejoin club this week

▲ In this Associated Press file photo from March 3, 2021, Kim Kwang-hyun of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches during the top of the first inning of a major league spring training game against the New York Mets at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Jupiter, Florida. (Yonhap)

▲ In this Associated Press file photo from March 3, 2021, Kim Kwang-hyun of the St. Louis Cardinals (R) listens to his manager Mike Shildt (C) during the top of the first inning of a major league spring training game against the New York Mets at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Jupiter, Florida. (Yonhap)

(LEAD) MLB-pitcher

(LEAD) Cardinals' Kim Kwang-hyun to throw simulated game, set to rejoin club this week

(ATTN: ADDS comments in paras 3-4)

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, April 6 (Yonhap) -- St. Louis Cardinals' South Korean starter Kim Kwang-hyun is nearing a return to the rotation from a recent bout of back issues, with a simulated game on the horizon this week.

Cardinals' manager Mike Shildt said in Miami on Monday (local time) that Kim will throw in a sim game against Cardinals' minor leaguers in the team's spring training site in Jupiter, Florida, on Tuesday. The Cardinals are in Miami this week to play the Marlins for a three-game series.

Shildt said Kim will join the Cardinals in Miami, about a 90-minute drive south of Jupiter, on Wednesday, and then fly to St. Louis with them for the home opener against the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday. And the team will then decide when to activate Kim.

"There's nowhere for him to go otherwise, and we're not going to wait around for the minor league season (in May)," Shildt said in his pregame Zoom session with the media. "It's a real opportunity that he checks the boxes and he can join us somewhat sooner rather than later."

The left-hander began the regular season on the 10-day injured list, as he's trying to build back up after missing a few weeks during spring training with a stiff back. Kim went 19 days between spring training appearances last month, though he threw in the bullpen a couple of times and appeared in a sim game in that time.

In his previous sim game last Friday, Kim made 51 pitches. He's slated for about five to six innings, or 75 pitches, this time.

Kim's return couldn't come a day sooner for the Cardinals, whose starters in the season's first three games have allowed a combined 16 runs on 17 hits, including four home runs.

Opening Day starter Jack Flaherty was roughed up for six runs on six hits and two home runs in 4 1/3 innings against the Cincinnati Reds. Adam Wainwright was even worse in the second game, serving up six runs on seven hits in 2 2/3.

Carlos Martinez then was touched for four runs in five innings.

Kim is in his second season with the Cardinals. In 2020, he was 3-0 with a 1.62 ERA in eight games, including seven starts. He began that season as the closer and picked up the save in his major league debut, before moving into the rotation and staying there for the rest of the year.

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