Stable pronouns → ERA 5.67 Ace is unusual...Last year's first pick, Wilkerson, is now

Apr 24, 2025

Stable pronouns → ERA 5.67 Ace is unusual...Last year's first pick, Wilkerson, is now
Lotte and Hanwha at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan on the 23rd. Lotte starter Barnes allowed five runs in the top of the first inning. Busan = Song Jeong-heon Reporter's songs@sportschosun.com/2025.04.23/



Stable pronouns → ERA 5.67 Ace is unusual...Last year's first pick, Wilkerson, is now
The game between KIA and Lotte at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan on the 10th, and Lotte Barnes, with two outs and runners on the first and second bases, struck out KIA Lee Woo-sung in the top of the fifth inning to end the inning. Busan = Reporter's wook@sportschosun.com/2025.04.10/
Stable pronouns → ERA 5.67 Ace is unusual...Last year's first pick, Wilkerson, is now
A game between the LG Twins and the Lotte Giants at Jamsil Stadium on the 22nd. Lotte Barnes and Yoo Kang-nam are catching their breath. Jamsil = Reporter Park Jae-man pjm@sportschosun.com /2025.03.22/
Charlie Barnes (Lotte Giants), who was the epitome of a sense of stability without ups and downs, is unusual.

Barnes became a losing pitcher against the Hanwha Eagles in Busan on the 23rd, allowing six runs (four earned runs) in five innings amid a slump in allowing five runs in the first inning alone.

It is already the fourth loss of the season (two wins). His ERA rose to 5.67 this season.




In his fourth year in Korea, he is not an overwhelming ace pitcher, but he has risen to the level of a long-term foreigner as a foreign pitcher with calculations. He has his own weapon, which is a sharp slider, and is strong against left-handed hitters enough to be called 'Left Rider'. Every year, he has been responsible for a season stably without major injuries and without any significant shaking.

But this season is a little different. Every game has its ups and downs. No, to be more precise, it has been sluggish compared to last year.

First of all, fastball pitching is the problem. The speed, which was up to 150 kilometers, hovers around 145 kilometers. As a result, slider and change-up, which are the main weapons, are not working properly.




This Hanwha match is representative. In the first inning, Hwang Young-mook, the first batter, was shaken out of control when he got on base due to a second baseman error. Hanwha Hwang Young-mook's main head play succeeded in changing the first and third bases with no outs to first and second bases, but Roh Si-hwan's timely hit gave up the first run.

Then, with the bases loaded with one out made by Chae Eun-sung's walk, he allowed a two-run timely hit to Lee Jin-young, a timely hit to Lim Jong-chan, and a sacrifice fly to Lee Jae-won, giving up five runs in the first inning alone. Considering that Lotte lost 4-6 even after showing its backing, Barnes' difficulty was a decisive loser.

Stable pronouns → ERA 5.67 Ace is unusual...Last year's first pick, Wilkerson, is now
A game between the LG Twins and the Lotte Giants at Jamsil Stadium on the 22nd. Lotte Barnes is catching his breath. Jamsil = Reporter Park Jae-man pjm@sportschosun.com /2025.03.22/
It's not just this day. In the game against LG on March 22, which was the opening game, it collapsed with seven runs in three innings, and in the game against the Doosan Bears on the 4th, he also allowed six runs (four earned runs) in six ⅓ innings. In the match against the KIA Tigers on the 10th, he managed to save face by allowing three runs in five innings after pitching 98 pitches until the fifth inning.




Of course, there are some games that were good, including the game against KT Wiz (one run in seven innings) and the game against Kiwoom Heroes (two runs in seven innings). However, he is not a pitcher who overwhelms with strong ball power, but Barnes, whose biggest advantage was that he had fewer ups and downs on days when he threw well and days when he didn't, and the problem is that this part became unstable.

Barnes was 12-12 in 186 ⅓ innings and 11-10 in 170 ⅓ innings, showing a pitcher who caught up with aggressive pitching from 2022-2023.

Last year, the style changed a bit. He was excellent with a 3.35 ERA, but showed off his strikeout ability that was second to none other than Kevin Hart (NC Dinos). Despite being out for more than a month due to an adductor injury, he showed powerful pitching, ranking third in the strikeout category (171) and second in strikeouts per nine innings (10.22).

This year, he also struck out 11 against Kiwoom. Is it the process of adapting and developing the league as a long-term foreigner, or did the shaking occur in the process of changing the style. Is it an insurmountable slump.

Another foreign pitcher, Tucker Davidson, is also not the style of Dustin Nippert, Ariel Miranda, and Raul Alcantara that Kim Tae-hyung trusted in the past. As even Barnes is shaken here, Lotte's anxiety about its first fall baseball in eight years is bound to grow.

Stable pronouns → ERA 5.67 Ace is unusual...Last year's first pick, Wilkerson, is now
Wilkerson during Lotte. Sports Chosun DB
Then, what about Aaron Wilkerson, who was in charge of 196 ⅔ innings as the first starter last year without skipping a single rotation. Lotte did not re-sign Wilkerson, but left him on the list of players on hold. If foreign pitchers are replaced, it may be the number one card.

Wilkerson went 12-8 with a 3.84 ERA last year. In the strikeout category, he also ranked fifth overall with 167 strikeouts. He showed off his ace's presence in name and reality, recording a shutout with no outs.

This year, he plays for Louisville Bats, a minor league team under the Cincinnati Reds. He is 2-1 with a 5.89 ERA in four appearances this season. The classic stat is not satisfactory.

However, it is interesting that he struck out 23 times during 18 ⅓ innings. He struck out a whopping 11.29 times per nine innings. This is the highest number in Wilkerson's minor career as well as the Major League Baseball. Did they make changes to appeal to the Major League and the KBO League.

It can be seen as a style similar to Barnes in a large frame. In particular, I was born in 1989, and I was worried about the age of 36 this year. Lotte chose Barnes instead of Wilkerson.

Stable pronouns → ERA 5.67 Ace is unusual...Last year's first pick, Wilkerson, is now
Wilkerson during Lotte. Sports Chosun DB
However, what if he is a substitute foreign player who is responsible for half of the season like in 2023, the first year he wore Lotte's uniform. At that time, Wilkerson heated up Lotte's second half with 79 ⅔ innings in 13 games, 7 wins, 2 losses and a 2.26 ERA. Compared to Barnes, there is a difference in that he is a pitcher who shows hot emotions on the mound.

Lotte desperately needs autumn baseball to the extent that the group's successor, Shin Yoo-yeol, head of the future growth office, will come forward and encourage it. It is also an important season for manager Kim Tae-hyung, who is wearing a Lotte uniform amid praise for being the best master in active duty. Will Barnes be able to show hope to Lotte.



This article was translated by Naver AI translator.