With each Lotte's consecutive winning bid, a large number of runs → 8.69 ERA... Kim Jin-wook desperately needs a rebound
With each Lotte's consecutive winning bid, a large number of runs → 8.69 ERA... Kim Jin-wook desperately needs a rebound
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Lotte Giants" fourth starter Kim Jin-wook (23), who threw well in the first three games of this season, is in trouble.
Kim Jin-wook started in an away game against the Samsung Lions in the 2025 KBO League regular season at Samsung Lions Park in Daegu on the 20th, but collapsed by allowing seven hits (two home runs) in 1 1/3 innings. Lotte failed to make up for the wide gap and lost 3-10 and failed to win 5 consecutive games.
Kim Jin-wook allowed the first three batters to get on base in the top of the first inning, allowed a sacrifice fly to Park Byung-ho after getting the bases loaded, and allowed a timely double to Lee Chang-yong to lose additional runs. In the second inning, Kim Young-woong hit a home run and kept collapsing, hitting a timely hit to Kim Sung-yoon and a three-run home run to Koo Ja-wook. He gave up a walk after being shaken by a fielder's error, and eventually left the mound.
Kim Jin-wook pitched well in his first appearance of the season against SSG Landers on the 26th of last month, allowing two runs in six innings, one earned run in 5 1/3 innings against Hanwha Eagles on April 2, and three runs in 5 2/3 innings against KIA Tigers on the 8th.
However, he allowed six runs without completing two innings against the NC Dinos on the 13th, and he was sluggish in two consecutive games against Samsung on the same day. The ERA soared to 8.69 from 3.18 in the first three games.
Kim displayed good control and ball combination in the first three games. Notably, he misled opposing batters by displaying more changeups than the previous season. Kim learned about changeups from Ryu Hyun-jin, a "changeup master," in September last year and practiced throughout the season.
However, he hit two home runs in the match against NC Dinos on Wednesday and the match against Samsung on Wednesday. He seems to be losing control all of a sudden.
Regarding Kim Jin-wook's appearance against NC on the 13th, Lotte manager Kim Tae-hyung said, "If my ball control is a little shaky, I need to deal with it in a different way. I was a little disappointed that I couldn't overcome it." Regarding his change-up use, he also judged, "If you use it well, you can use it as a winning ball, such as catching strikes, but I don't think you can use it that much so far."
Kim Jin-wook entered the rotation as a substitute in May last year and stayed in the position until the end of the regular season. He was selected as the fourth starter early this year as well.
However, the recent two games that he took the mound due to his team's advancement collapsed too quickly, leaving a regret. It was a game in which Lotte attempted to win its fourth consecutive game against NC Dinos on Wednesday. Lotte also had its sixth consecutive win as its starting pitcher on Wednesday.
His firepower has revived and he has become a little more stable thanks to his strength in the bullpen. Currently, Lotte's variables are Kim Jin-wook and Na Kyun-an, two Korean starting pitchers. We desperately need a rebound in our next game. 온라인바카라