The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) has issued an apology after its own administrative error prevented the LG Twins from acquiring a minor league pitcher, an unprecedented transaction that would have marked a first for the developmental Futures League.

Late Wednesday, the KBO apologized to both the LG Twins and the Ulsan Whales of the Futures League after the Twins' attempt to sign Whales pitcher Akitake Okada collapsed earlier that same day. The Twins had targeted Okada as a replacement for Australian hurler Lachlan Wells, who has struggled in recent weeks while also contending with a left shoulder injury.

The Whales, currently in their inaugural Futures League season, operate without an affiliation to any KBO club. This means their players cannot be promoted to the top league by a parent organization, as is the practice for other Futures League teams. Had the deal gone through, Okada would have become the first Whales player to sign with a KBO team during the season.

The Twins initially contacted the KBO on Monday to inquire about the proposed move, citing its unprecedented nature. The league office responded by giving approval to both the Twins and the Whales. However, on Wednesday, the KBO informed both clubs that under league regulations, a Futures League player may only sign with a KBO club between the conclusion of one year's postseason and July 31 of the following year. The deadline had already passed.

"There was no issue with the LG Twins' inquiry and the way they pursued the deal. This was the case of us not being thorough in our review of the rules when the club first contacted us," the KBO said in a statement. "We have apologized to both LG and Ulsan regarding this matter."

Okada, 32, had already traveled to Seoul on Wednesday to prepare to join the Twins before turning back to Ulsan, located approximately 300 kilometers southeast of the capital. In 13 appearances for the Whales this season, including 11 starts, Okada posted a 4-3 record with one save and one hold.

Meanwhile, the Twins announced that Wells has been diagnosed with rotator cuff damage in his pitching shoulder and will be reevaluated in four weeks. The injury leaves the Twins without one of their most effective early-season starters at a critical juncture, as the KBO regular season runs through October and teams jockey for postseason positioning throughout the summer months.

Wells had shown considerable promise early in his first full KBO season as an Asian quota player, a designation that allows KBO clubs to sign players from certain Asian and Oceanian nations — including Australia — alongside their standard allotment of foreign players. Wells had previously appeared in a brief four-game stint with the Kiwoom Heroes in 2025. Through his first 13 starts, he held a 5-2 record with a 2.88 ERA. His form dipped in June, however, as his ERA rose to 5.01 with 13 earned runs allowed across 23 1/3 innings. July proved even more difficult: in five outings, Wells went 0-3 with a 7.20 ERA, surrendering 20 earned runs on 31 hits in 25 innings.

Notably, Wells gave up 11 home runs over 48 1/3 innings spanning 10 starts in June and July, a sharp contrast to the period from April through May, when he limited opponents to just one home run in his first 45 1/3 frames. The surge in home runs allowed now aligns with the shoulder injury timeline, though the Twins have not directly connected the two.

In his most recent appearance on August 4 against the SSG Landers, Wells lasted a season-low 2 2/3 innings and was charged with two earned runs before being pulled in the fourth inning in favor of Park Si-won. Twins manager Youm Kyoung-youb announced Tuesday that Park will take over Wells's spot in the starting rotation, with the Australian right-hander moving to the bullpen.