2 consecutive games, 3 consecutive games, multi-inning, and top-ranked bullpen → Is the veteran the savior who returned in 632 days? Proud to return to the first team, recovering confidence

Jul 17, 2025

2 consecutive games, 3 consecutive games, multi-inning, and top-ranked bullpen → Is the veteran the savior who returned in 632 days? Proud to return to the first team, recovering confidence
롯데 심재민. Reporter Kim Young-rok



2 consecutive games, 3 consecutive games, multi-inning, and top-ranked bullpen → Is the veteran the savior who returned in 632 days? Proud to return to the first team, recovering confidence
A game between Doosan and Lotte at Busan Sajik Baseball Stadium on the 8th, and Jung Chul-won, with two outs and second base, strikes out Kim Min-seok in the top of the seventh inning. Busan = Reporter's wook@sportschosun.com/2025.07.08/
2 consecutive games, 3 consecutive games, multi-inning, and top-ranked bullpen → Is the veteran the savior who returned in 632 days? Proud to return to the first team, recovering confidence
Hong Min-ki is heading to the dugout after finishing a scoreless pitch in the top of the fourth inning against Doosan and Lotte at Busan Sajik Baseball Stadium on the 8th. Busan = Reporter's wook@sportschosun.com/2025.07.08/
The slump in the bullpen in the first half of the year was filled with 'Yang'. However, there is no guarantee that the batters' concentration will increase, and that it will work in the second half of the year when all-out matches are held regardless of whether you are.

The Lotte Giants finished the first half in third place. It was a better-than-expected performance. In the case of the batting lineup, the main players left due to injuries and sluggishness one after another, but they filled the gap by finding replacement players appropriately. Gamboa was also recruited instead of Barnes, who was also sluggish, and Kim Jin-wook's poor performance was well filled by Lee Min-seok and Na Kyun-an.

On the other hand, the bullpen was in trouble itself. At the beginning of the season, there was only one must-win group, Jeong Cheol-won. Lotte manager Kim Tae-hyung himself has no choice but to use Jung Cheol-won in the game where he wins. Even if he gave up two to three points in front of Kim Won-joong (2 outs in the 8th inning) with a lead of four to five points, he even expressed his regret, saying, "Jung Chul-won's mission is to lead him to Kim Won-joong (2 outs in the 8th inning)."




Lotte's Jung Hyun-soo (54 games) ranks first in the most games in the first half. Chung Chul-won (46 games), Kim Sang-soo (44 games), Kim Kang-hyun (43 games) and Song Jae-young (40 games).

2 consecutive games, 3 consecutive games, multi-inning, and top-ranked bullpen → Is the veteran the savior who returned in 632 days? Proud to return to the first team, recovering confidence
A game between the Lotte Giants and the LG Twins at Sajik Stadium in Busan on the 1st. Lotte's Jung Hyun-soo is keeping the first baseman in check. Busan = Reporter Park Jae-man pjm@sportschosun.com /2025.07.01/
Except for Chung Hyun-soo and Jung Cheol-won, it was difficult to take over multi-innings in winning games. As a result, Jung Hyun-soo and Song Jae-young were used as left-hander points, and Kim Kang-hyun and Kim Sang-soo played as all-weather yardsticks.

Jung Cheol-won and Kim Won-joong did not hesitate to play two consecutive games and three consecutive games in the match. Although Choi Jun-yong's return from mid-May helped ease the must-win group's breath, all major bullpen pitchers seemed tired at the end of the first half. Veteran Kim Sang-soo even left due to injury.




The number of games will inevitably increase as the number of innings is split so that the number of innings is less unreasonable with the designated player. In the first half of this season, Lotte ranked first among all 10 teams in two consecutive games (116 times), three consecutive games (21 times) and multi-inning (80 times).

In the second half of the year, we have to overcome even fiercer battles. Players such as Hong Min-ki, who emerged as Cinderella at the end of the first half, and veteran Shim Jae-min, who returned, should help.

2 consecutive games, 3 consecutive games, multi-inning, and top-ranked bullpen → Is the veteran the savior who returned in 632 days? Proud to return to the first team, recovering confidence
Lotte Shim Jae-min, who finished pitching in the top of the 11th inning at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan on the 9th, is heading to the dugout. Busan = Reporter's wook@sportschosun.com/2025.07.09/
Shim Jae-min made his comeback against the Doosan Bears in Busan on July 9. He also took the mound with a heavy responsibility in the 10th inning of extra time, blocked the first ⅔ inning well and enjoyed the excitement of becoming a winning pitcher.




He showed off his impressive presence as a fifth starter at the end of 2023, but since then, he blew the entire last year due to a back injury. He was the winning pitcher for the first time in 632 days since the game against the Hanwha Eagles in Daejeon on October 16, 2023, and the winning pitcher for the first time in 639 days since the game against the LG Twins in Jamsil on October 9 of the same year.

Shim Jae-min said, `I didn't think the return match would be overtime. I was really nervous"When I went to the extension, I came out of the bullpen and (new) Youngjae was the only one. But I still have more experience...Fortunately, the good results made me feel better."

He played a starting position in this year's Futures and saw an opportunity to be promoted to the first team. When asked about the most difficult part, he said "I only played one night game this year, and it was hard to play at night for the first time in a long time." After the victory, head coach Kim Tae-hyung also greeted 'Thank you'

2 consecutive games, 3 consecutive games, multi-inning, and top-ranked bullpen → Is the veteran the savior who returned in 632 days? Proud to return to the first team, recovering confidence
Lotte Shim Jae-min throws a check ball to the first base in a game between Doosan and Lotte at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan on the 9th. Busan = Reporter's wook@sportschosun.com/2025.07.09/
It's really hard to shake off the long-term injury. Shim Jae-min said "Now I feel like I'm getting the ball balance. The slider went in well. I'm finding my confidence little by little."

Regarding the cheering and shouting of the first-team game that I felt for the first time in a long time, "It really gave me a lot of strength. There are many fans coming to the Futures game, but Sajik also has a different atmosphere." Shim Jae-min's future positions are widely expected from the bullpen in the role of bridge to alternative starters.

"It's something I've done all my life since I joined the professional league. You can adapt without any problems. I want to work harder in the rest of the second half, create good condition, and make a good result that will contribute to the team."





This article was translated by Naver AI translator.