The Kia Tigers’ bullpen will be back to full strength

The Kia Tigers’ bullpen will be back to full strength this week. Closer Jung Hae-young (22), who missed a month due to injury, and left-hander Choi Ji-min (20), who had 10 days to recharge, are set to return to the first team. They are expected to provide a major boost to Kia, which is on track to win its first title in seven years.

On June 23, Choi was pitching in Gwangju against the Hanwha Eagles when he felt something wrong with his shoulder. He was immediately removed from the roster and was diagnosed with shoulder inflammation. He was placed on the disabled list three times for 10 days each. He underwent treatment and readjustment in the rehabilitation unit and was called up to the first team to play catch and pitch out of the bullpen. He warmed up cautiously, following Lee’s policy.

When there were no problems with his shoulder, he was ready for practice. He was originally scheduled to pitch in the Futures game against Lotte on the 20th, but it was canceled due to rain. He pitched in the bullpen on the 21st and will pitch for the Futures against the NC Dinos in Changwon on the 23rd. If all goes well, he is expected to return on the 24th, when he can register for the first team.

Since the start of the season, he has been a strong closer with a faster velocity than last year.

In 32 appearances this year, he went 2-2 with 21 saves and a 2.25 ERA. She became the youngest pitcher to reach 100 saves and collected 20 saves for the fourth straight year. In Jeong’s absence, Jeon Sang-hyun took over as the closer, posting a 2-4 record with a 1.00 ERA.

Choi Ji-min was removed from the roster the next day after giving up one hit, one walk and one run (unearned) without recording an out against Jamsil LG on April 11. He was given 10 days to recharge after giving up two consecutive runs. 토토사이트 순위 Manager Lee Beom-ho said, “I thought it was good to give him a break. I was psychologically and physically exhausted. I took about 10 days off,” Lee said. On the 23rd, he pitched against the NC alongside Jung Jung-young.

He was a dominant pitcher at the start of the season, throwing 150-kilometer balls. He didn’t give up a single run in 12 games in April and had a solid May. However, in June, he began to struggle with his pitches, giving up runs frequently and becoming mentally shaky. I was exhausted after playing full-time in the Australian League, spring training, and the regular season for the second year in a row. My parents flew in from Gangneung, my hometown, and we spent 10 days together to recharge.

It must have given him a lot of psychological comfort.

In July, the KIA bullpen had its ups and downs, except for Jeon Sang-hyun. It has been dominating opponents with a powerful offense that has scored more than eight runs per game. The bullpen will be crucial in the championship race, as the batting lineup could run out of steam. Lee expects the bullpen to be stronger once Jeong Jung-young and Choi Ji-min return. Of course, the starting staff is not perfect, but if the two pitchers can show the effects of rehabilitation and rest, the bullpen will be even stronger. The bullpen will be crucial in protecting late-game leads.

댓글 없음

Add Comment

답글 남기기

이메일 주소는 공개되지 않습니다. 필수 필드는 *로 표시됩니다