How did Yeom Kyung-yeop see Chirinos pitching? "No injury→There's room for improvement, sweeper control key" [Gocheok Field]

*This content was translated by AI.

LG Twins foreign pitcher Yoni Chirinos (33)'s early slump in the season is unusual. In response, LG manager Yeom Kyung-yeop (58) opened his mouth himself. Manager Yeom dismissed the possibility of Chirinos' injury and made a clear diagnosis of the pitching mechanism and the use of pitches. He also said there was room for improvement in the next game.

Chirinos started against the Kiwoom Heroes of the "2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League" at Gocheok Sky Dome in Guro-gu, Seoul on the 3rd, but became a losing pitcher with nine hits, one walk, six strikeouts and four runs in five innings. Chirinos, who lost two of their previous two games, had a season ERA of 15.00. The hit rate was very high at 0.484, and the on-base allowance per inning (WHIP) was 2.83.

Some raised doubts about his physical condition over Chirinos, who started the season as the first starter. He even had a hospital check-up once as he showed discomfort in his back, but the result was that there was no abnormality. His lackluster performance in the game on the 3rd also raised questions.

However, coach Yeom Kyung-yeop said, "When I checked Chirinos' speed yesterday, the two-seam fastball reached 148-149 kilometers and the four-seam reached 150 kilometers," adding, "I had no health problems as I recovered all my speed to last year's level."

In the end, the control of the breaking ball is considered a challenge. Coach Yeom's biggest homework is the control of the slider, which he calls the "sweeper." Coach Yeom analyzed, "If the ball type (sweeper) is not controlled, it tends to be difficult to solve the game."

According to manager Yeom, Chirinos basically use two-seam fastballs and sweepers as their main weapons, and the number of pitches increases and the game becomes difficult as the sweeper, who needs to catch the count, leaves the strike zone.

In particular, when the sweeper shakes, the proportion of folk balls is increased to catch the count, which leads to a result of being read by batters, which is an excuse for a loss. It is also pointed out that the pitching sequence becomes somewhat monotonous. Coach Yeom reiterated the importance of restoring control, saying, "In the end, you have to hold the count with a sweeper so that the fighting spirit and folk ball can be powerful."

Although he has been suffering from a recent slump, Yeom predicted a high possibility of Chirinos' rebound. As the ball speed is on track, it is a trust that it can play a role in the starting lineup if only the ball control is stable. Coach Yeom said, "The contents of the future game will vary depending on how fast the Chirinos catch the sweeper control. There is certainly room for the next economic rebound," he said, expressing his intention to help find the original power through continuous management.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.