Padres agree to 1-year deal with KBO's top pitcher Kyle Hart

The San Diego Padres and left-hander Kyle Hart agreed to a one-year contract, the club announced Thursday.

Hart will earn $1 million in 2025 with a $5-million club option for 2026 that could reach $7.5 million based on the number of games he starts, reports Robert Murray of FanSided, who adds there's also a $500,000 buyout.

The 32-year-old posted a 2.69 ERA with a 1.03 WHIP and 182 strikeouts over 157 innings (26 starts) in 2024 for the Korea Baseball Organization's NC Dinos, capturing the Choi Dong-won Award handed out to the league's top hurler.

Padres manager Mike Shildt said Hart will compete for the fourth or fifth spot in the starting rotation during spring training, according to AJ Cassavell of MLB.com.

Hart has limited major-league experience, authoring a 15.55 ERA over 11 innings for the Boston Red Sox during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

The Padres have now added two starting pitchers over the last days after reportedly agreeing to a four-year, $55-million contract with Nick Pivetta on Wednesday. The right-hander's 2025 base salary is only $1 million in a heavily back-loaded deal.