"You're the first starter." Choi Wontae's "Only 49 pitches." 5 scoreless innings... Choi Hyung-woo's first hit since returning to Samsung 'Reported' [the scene of Incheon]

*This content was translated by AI.

"The starting lineup hasn't been formed yet..."

Samsung Lions manager Park Jin-man (50) reiterated his concerns about the starting lineup ahead of the exhibition game against SSG Landers at SSG Landers Field in Incheon on the 16th. Currently, only three starting pitchers for this season have been confirmed: Choi Won-tae (29) and Furado, and Jack O'Rourkelyn, who was hired as an alternative foreign pitcher on the day.

When the reporters said, "The first starter will take the mound today," coach Park smiled slightly but expressed his belief that "Choi Won-tae is currently the first starter in terms of ball power." "About 60 pitches in four innings is good, and we expect a maximum of 70 to 80 pitches," he said.

It was a good pitching that eased the coach's worries. Although a large number of key players were excluded from SSG's starting lineup on the day, Choi Won-tae gave up only two hits and one hit in five innings with just 49 balls, allowing four strikeouts and no runs. He cooked the opponent's lineup by mixing a four-seam fastball with a maximum speed of 148 kilometers per hour and a change-up and a two-seam fastball with a minimum speed of 120 kilometers.

After blocking the first inning with three outs, Lim Keun-woo allowed his first on-base hit with a pitch after two outs in the second inning, but Kim Jung-min was caught with a fly to left field. In the third inning, his crisis management ability stood out. He allowed Hong Dae-in to steal his first hit and second base, drawing one out and second base, but struck out Jihoon Choi with a 122km curve after seven pitches. He then caught Kim Min-joon with a ground ball to the third base and finished the inning without losing a run. In the fourth inning, Lee Ji-young hit right field after two outs, but he induced Lim Geun-woo to groundout to shortstop, and in the fifth inning, he closed the pitch neatly with three outs.

When asked about the "first starter" after the game, Choi Won-tae said, "Furado is coming soon... "I hope it comes soon," he said with a smile, but expressed satisfaction with the pitch on the day, saying, "I have to throw like this during the regular season..." He then self-evaluated, "My control of the fastball was good, but I need to practice more for the breaking ball." Coach Park Jin-man praised starter Choi Won-tae, saying, "He created a good flow with stable pitching."

Meanwhile, Samsung won the game 8-0 with 11 hits, including Ryu Ji-hyuk and Lee Jae-hyun in the third inning and Diaz's three solo home runs in the sixth inning. Following Choi Won-tae, Bae Chan-seung, Lee Seung-hyun, Jin Hee-sung, and Yuk Sun-yeop continued one inning each with no hits and no runs.

Choi Hyung-woo, who started as the third designated hitter, came out as the leadoff hitter in the fourth inning and hit a double to right field from opposing starter Jeon Young-joon to report his first hit since returning to Samsung. He took three games off after a hit ball in the first inning of the exhibition game against Hanwha on the 12th.

SSG, which head coach Lee Soo-yong (55), said before the game, "It's a test lineup until today, and the best will go out from tomorrow," was scoreless with only two hits and 10 strikeouts. Starting pitcher Jeon Young-joon allowed six hits and five runs (one earned) in four ⅔ innings.

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*This content was translated by AI.