The 5.2 billion FA opener failed to finish. Up to 142km in the second division, and the number of home runs will be arrested in the second division, and LG's temporary closing will come.

Mar 20, 2025

The exhibition game between the LG Twins and the NC Dinos in the KBO League, scheduled to be held at Jamsil Stadium on the 18th, has been canceled. LG Jang Hyun-sik is pitching a bullpen. Jamsil = Reporter Park Jae-man pjm@sportschosun.com /2025.03.18/

LG Twins' new closer Jang Hyun-sik will start in the second division.

LG's Jang Hyun-sik took the mound in relief in a Futures League game against SSG Landers in Ganghwa on the 20th and recorded two hits and two runs in one inning, including a home run. And as a result of the coaching staff meeting, it was concluded that he would not register for the entry in the opening game against the Lotte Giants in Jamsil on the 22nd.

It is a judgment that time is still needed.

Jang Hyun-sik said, "This was my first real pitching. He lost his footing at the end of the Arizona camp and suffered a right ankle injury, and has been rehabilitating in Korea since then. Recently, he tried to check whether he registered for the first team in the opening game through a real game, but the weather did not help. The second-tier game was canceled due to rain on the 16th, and the first-tier exhibition game against the NC Dinos on the 18th was canceled due to snow. In the end, everyone had to control their condition only by pitching in the bullpen.

And on the 20th, he finally pitched in his LG uniform for the first time. Jang Hyun-sik, who became the second pitcher after starting pitcher Lim Chan-kyu in the bottom of the seventh inning with a big 8-0 lead, allowed a double to the middle of the month for the second pitch from the first six Ahn Sang-hyun. With No. 7 Kim Chan-hyung, he caught his first out count with a fly to right field for the fifth consecutive fouls following the first and second balls. At this time, the runner on second base goes to third base. He handled No. 8 Kim Kyu-min with a short fly to left field to make it to two outs, but he was hit by a long hit by No. 9 Seok Jung-woo. It made sense to throw the third pitch in 2B. a two-run home run over the left fence. And he caught No. 1 Lee Seung-min with a fly to right field to finish the inning and was replaced by Bae Jae-joon in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Jang Hyun-sik, who sprayed a total of 18 balls on the day, was not very good with nine strikes and nine balls. The maximum speed of the fastball was also 142 kilometers. Compared to the fastball of around 150km in the KIA Tigers last year, the speed of the ball has not risen much yet.

Manager Yeom Kyung-yup, who couldn't see the game in person because he was attending the media day, said, `Pitching coach Kim Kwang-sam saw it himself,' adding, `I received a report that his arrest and ball power have not yet risen.'" In the end, he came to the conclusion that he should throw more real games in the second division and increase his speed. Coach Yeom said, `I think we should take the mound about four times in practice games and second-tier games.' According to the plan, he is expected to join the first team in early April.

In the meantime, we plan to run the bullpen under a group finishing system. Manager Yeom said "As when Ko Woo-seok was injured and left out in 2023, we plan to use a finishing pitcher according to the situation." When Ko Woo-seok was out due to a back injury in 2023, coach Yeom finished the game by raising Kim Jin-sung, Ham Deok-ju and Park Myung-geun to the finish depending on the situation. Currently, LG's must-win groups include veterans Kim Kang-ryul and Kim Jin-sung and Baek Seung-hyun and Park Myung-geun. When Jang Hyun-sik was injured, rookie Kim Young-woo was placed as a temporary closing candidate and took the mound at the end of practice and exhibition games, but Kim Young-woo's control is not yet complete, so he starts the chasing group.

It is a positive part that the restraint has not yet been raised, but the healthy condition has been confirmed. If the ball comes up, he will be able to return to the first team quickly.

This article was translated by Naver AI translator.