KT Wiz Go Young-pyo is imminent to return to the first team.
The return of Ko Young-pyo (33) and So Hyun-jun (23), the core of the KT Wiz starting lineup, has begun. KT is hoping for a repeat of last year's rebound with its reinforcements.
As of the 7th, KT remains in 8th place. At the beginning of the season, they were predicted to be in the 'top three' along with the KIA Tigers and LG Twins, but unlike those two teams, they are hovering around the lower ranks.
The batting has improved since last year, but the mound is not holding up well. KT is currently ranked last with a team ERA of 5.71. The power to lead the game based on a solid mound has weakened.
In particular, KT is a team with such a strong starting lineup that it is called the ‘Kingdom of Starting Players.’ It was no exaggeration to say that the starting lineup, consisting of William Cuevas, Wes Benjamin, Go Young-pyo, So Hyun-jun, and Eom Sang-baek, was the best in the league.
However, there were many injuries this season. Hyun Soo-jun already underwent Tommy John surgery last year and was out of action for a long period of time. Ko Young-pyo left the team in April after being diagnosed with micro-damage to his elbow flexors. Last month, even foreigner Benjamin felt discomfort in his elbow and volunteered to take a three-week break.
KT operated the starting lineup as a last resort, including including two rookie pitchers, Yuk Cheong-myeong and Won Sang-hyeon, in the starting rotation, but the limitations were clear. Won Sang-hyun showed his insecurities with an ERA of 8.04 in 11 games, and Yuk Cheong-myeong also showed insecurities with an ERA of 5.29 in 9 games. Recently, Han Cha-hyun, a 4-year 'used rookie', is also in the starting rotation, but he is not doing well.
Meanwhile, the imminent return of Go Young-pyo and So Hyeong-jun is very welcome news. If two pitchers fill the space previously occupied by three rookie pitchers, the weight of the starting lineup can change immediately. Go Young-pyo and So So-jung, who have been undergoing rehabilitation for a long time, plan to return at the end of this month. The plan is to make two actual appearances in the Futures League (2nd team) before being recalled to the 1st team. Ko Young-pyo took the starting mound in the Futures League game against the KIA Tigers on the 5th and threw 37 pitches over 3 innings, allowing 1 hit, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts, and no runs. The highest speed is 137 km/h, which is not much different from before the injury. Above all, it was encouraging that the player himself did not feel any discomfort, such as pain, after pitching. So-Hyun Jun, who completed his first actual appearance on the 31st of last month, will also make his second appearance on the mound in the Futures League game against the Lotte Giants on the 7th. Afterwards, Ko Young-pyo will return to the second-team mound on the 11th and So Hyun-jun on the 14th, and the final decision will be made on the schedule for his return to the first team. KT's foreigner Benjamin recently returned and joined the starting rotation. Benjamin became the losing pitcher in his return game against the Hanwha Eagles on the 4th, allowing 3 runs in 4 innings. However, it is meaningful that he has recovered from the injury and is expected to play the rotation normally. Last year, KT stayed at the bottom until early June, but successfully made a 'big counterattack' and rose to second place. Even at that time, the starting lineup led by Cuevas had the greatest strength. This year, which shows a 'hit-and-run' pattern, may not show as much power as last year. However, as KT's batting lineup has also become stronger than last year, the addition of the league's top starting pitchers is expected to be a great driving force for KT. 토토사이트