Germany’s Bonn Capitals have announced the signing of Lithuania’s Dovydas Neverauskaus, who has notched 80.2 innings in parts of four seasons (2017-20) with the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Neverauskaus, who throws in the mid-90s, logged his MLB innings in 76 relief appearances, striking out 77 batters and earning one W while recording a 6.81 ERA. He enjoyed more success at the Triple-A level, recording a 3.53 ERA while striking out 201 in 178.2 innings of work over parts of four seasons.
The 29-year-old spent the 2021 season with the Hiroshima Carp of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) but saw limited action due to injury. He made just one NPB appearance for the Carp.
The signing solidifies Bonn’s standing as the favorites in the Bundesliga North and strengthens the club’s pitching rotation as it looks to compete for trophies both domestically and internationally in 2022.
At home, the Capitals are looking to unseat the Heidenheim Heideköpfe, who the Capitals have met in the German championship series five years running. Heidenheim has had the last laugh the past three seasons, winning nine of their 11 meetings on their way to three consecutive German championships.
The Capitals won their first and only German championship in 2018 in five games over Heidenheim, a year after Heidenheim’s own five-game series victory gave it the 2017 title.
Internationally, the Capitals are hosting the 2022 Champions Cup, Europe’s premier club competition, and will be looking to improve on their second-place finish in last year’s tournament. Italy’s Parma defeated the Capitals 6-4 (box score) to lift the trophy.