The 3rd place head coach as soon as possible → Why he is thirsty despite his winning streak

May 11, 2025

The 3rd place head coach as soon as possible → Why he is thirsty despite his winning streak
A game between the Kiwoom Heroes and the Lotte Giants at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on the 30th. Lotte manager Kim Tae-hyung is doing an interview. Gocheok = Reporter Park Jae-man pjm@sportschosun.com /2025.04.30/



The 3rd place head coach as soon as possible → Why he is thirsty despite his winning streak
Lotte-Kium match held at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on the 29th. Starting pitcher Barnes is warming up. Gocheok = Reporter Jung Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com /2025.4.29/
He did not hide his thirst for a 'certain ace' since the season game. The first starter, who was still there, also left due to injury.

Lotte Giants manager Kim Tae-hyung, who met at KT Wiz Park in Suwon on the 11th, said "We are currently running the season with two (starting) pitchers."He didn't hide his frustration.

It has already widened the gap with the fourth-place Samsung Lions. However, manager Kim Tae-hyung's eyebrows rarely go away. He laughed, saying, `Even if I'm in first place, I'm in a position where I have a lot of worries.




Park Se-woong and Davidson continue to play well, but the injury gap of first starter Barnes is too big. The performance of substitute starters such as Na Kyun-an, Park Jin and Lee Min-seok, as well as Kim Jin-wook, who is staying in the second division, is not special at the moment.

The 3rd place head coach as soon as possible → Why he is thirsty despite his winning streak
Lotte-Kium match held at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on the 1st. Davison, who pitched seven scoreless innings, is smiling as he returns the pitchcom. Gocheok = Reporter Jung Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com /2025.5.1/
As a result, bullpen runs frequently every day. From the head coach's point of view, it seems that he is struggling to prevent each game by deploying pitchers in consideration of the batter's swing trajectory and the direction of the left and right pitches. This is why Lotte pitchers are ranked at the top in the number of bullpen games and most innings this season.

It's a must-win group, setup man Jung Chul-won, and at best Jung Hyun-soo, who acts as a bridge. It is a constant concern to find a pitcher who can fill the gap between the two and players such as Koo Seung-min and Choi Jun-yong in their prime.




"There is no first starter right now. So it doesn't count. First of all, Lee Min-seok will go out in the second round today. I'll see if he throws it well. Kim Jin-wook is also watching."

The 3rd place head coach as soon as possible → Why he is thirsty despite his winning streak
Lotte and Hanwha held at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan on the 24th. Lotte starter Park Se-woong is coming down the mound after pitching in the sixth inning. Busan = Song Jeong-heon Reporter's songs@sportschosun.com/2025.04.24/
There is a lot of concern about how to fill the void of first starter Barnes. Barnes was found to be eight weeks away due to injury to the scapular muscles of his shoulder. If the treatment and rehabilitation schedule is combined, there is a possibility of being out in the first half.

Manager Kim Tae-hyung said, `We have to go to the All-Star break to find a good player. Usually, a decent pitcher doesn't come out until June. "There's no choice. We need to bring in the best player among the players that are out now, as soon as possible," he stressed.




As an alternative to Barnes, Lotte is considering a wide range of options, from a six-week substitute foreign player to a complete replacement. However, the head coach is anxious. The focus was on 'as quickly as possible'.



This article was translated by Naver AI translator.