*This content was translated by AI.
When he first joined the team, did he think that Kim Sang-soo (38) and the Lotte Giants would be accompanied for a long time. However, Kim Sang-soo will take the mound again this year.
Lotte said on the 8th, "We completed the contract with Kim Sang-soo for a total of 300 million won for a year." It is the 16th FA contract in the stove league and the first in 2026.
Kim Sang-soo, who was named the 15th overall pick in the second round by the Samsung Lions in 2006 after graduating from Shinil High School, played for Lotte from 2023 after passing through Kiwoom Heroes and SSG Landers. He pitched in 700 games and recorded 37 wins, 46 losses, 50 saves, and a 4.96 ERA with 140 holds in 785 innings.
Kim Sang-soo, who did not make a deep impact between the starter and the bullpen, won 21 holds in 2016 and played a must-win role. In the following year, he made his first double-digit save (15 saves), and in 2019, he became the first KBO player to hold 40 holds in a single season.
Kim Sang-soo then moved to SSG Landers in a sign-and-trade deal in 2021. However, he was sluggish with a 5.09 ERA in his first season, and in the following year, he played only eight games, failing to contribute to the team's overall victory. Eventually, he was notified of his release before the season was over. At the time, he confessed, "I honestly thought about retiring."
However, Lotte immediately reached out and made a fresh start in Busan. At the time, a Lotte official said, "Kim Sang-soo's recruitment is virtually no different from FA," adding, "There were many competing teams." The club emphasized the necessity, which shook Kim Sang-soo's heart.
Kim Sang-soo, wearing a Lotte uniform, performed better than expected. In 2023, he had a 4.15 ERA with 4 wins, 2 losses, 1 save, 18 holds with a 3.12 ERA in 67 games, a personal-high eight wins in 74 games in 2024, and 17 holds. Despite his old age, he became the center of the bullpen with three consecutive throws.
Last year, injuries overlapped and he remained with a 6.38 ERA with one loss, two saves and three holds without winning in 45 games. After applying for FA after the season, there was no news of the contract until the end of the year, but in the end, he continued to accompany Lotte.
The club also has high expectations. "Based on his years of experience, he is a player who can play his role in the team's bullpen in the 2026 season," Lotte General Manager Park Joon-hyuk said. "I appreciated the player's strong will to commit on the mound this season, and I judged that he would be able to play a positive role within the team through synergy with young pitchers."
After signing the contract, Kim Sang-soo said, "I'm quite happy to be able to stand on the mound again at the resignation baseball stadium, and although individual performance is important, I feel that it's time for commitment to the team," adding, "I'll do my best to contribute to the team's performance in the 2026 season with strong motivation."
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*This content was translated by AI.
