'9 hits and 5 runs → 4 runs on balls.' Where can the national guard go and blame only the 'weather nightmare' [the scene of Incheon]

*This content was translated by AI.

Shota Takeda (33, SSG Landers), a former member of the experienced Japanese national team, also left a disappointing result in his second appearance.

Takeda started the home game of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League against the Hanwha Eagles at SSG Landers Field in Incheon on the 7th and threw 71 pitches in three innings, allowing four hits, four walks, two strikeouts, and four runs before being withdrawn.

Some even said that SSG was lucky to be able to bring it to the Asian quarter for an annual salary of $200,000 (about 300 million won). This is because he was a pitcher who proved a lot as a career.

Takeda, who was a tough cotyledon to the point of being drafted by the Softbank Hawks in the first round of the 2011 NPB Rookie Draft, recorded 66 wins, 48 losses and 3.33 ERA in 217 games in 14 seasons, and played as a team ace with 13 wins and 14 wins in 2015 and 2016. He also played for the Japanese national team in the 2015 World Baseball Softball Confederation Premier 12 and the 2017 World Baseball Classic.

With a high RBI fastball, a versatile throwing curveball, slider, forkball and sweeper - he faced an inflection point in his career with surgery. After undergoing elbow surgery in April 2024, he focused on rehabilitation, and SSG sent scouts to the second-tier game, showing interest in Takeda, and moving quickly to recruit him to the Asian quarter.

SSG coach Lee Sung-yong also believed in Takeda's experience. He prepared for the season without injury and his exemplary attitude made him have no choice but to build trust. Coach Lee said, "When I see the preparation process, I have no choice but to like it."

But it didn't start well. He threw 90 pitches in four ⅔ innings in the first game, but he walked only one, but the Kiwoom Heroes hitters targeted Takeda too easily. In the end, he had nine hits, allowed five runs, failed to complete the fifth inning, and eventually became a losing pitcher.

I didn't follow my luck either. It was Takeda, who took the mound in chilly weather on the first day, but he was again on the mound in a cool temperature below 10 degrees Celsius due to the rain the day before.

Coach Lee Soo-yong said before the game, "I think Takeda will get better when the weather gets warmer. He said, "I had surgery, and I think I feel that way," adding, "I think today's game will pay a lot of attention to the location."

The pitch count was planned for about 90. With one out in the top of the first inning, he gave up one run after a double by Jonathan Ferraza and a hit by Moon Hyun-bin, but Moon Hyun-bin failed to steal and took a breather by striking out Noh Si-hwan with a swing and miss.

Takeda, who took the lead with Choi Jeong's come-from-behind two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning, ended the inning by inducing Shim Woo-joon to ground out to shortstop even after a second baseman error came out with two outs and first base.

The third inning was the problem. There was only one strike out of the nine pitches, starting with the leadoff hitter Oh Jae-won and Peraza. He went to the ball count of 2-2 with Moon Hyun-bin, but once again, he allowed a straight walk to Noh Si-hwan with no outs and the bases loaded, allowing a tie.

He seemed to overcome the crisis by turning Kang Baek-ho into a fly ball to left field and Chae Eun-sung into a foul fly to third baseman, but Ha Joo-seok hit a timely two-run hit. Choi Jae-hoon was grounded out to second base to finish the inning, but that was it. In the fourth inning, he fought and handed the ball over to Park Si-hoo.

Both appearances had to be in the chilly temperature, but four consecutive walks were a difficult result to understand given that he is an experienced pitcher. And the walk eventually became a source of trouble for the team. The head coach delivered a hopeful message that it will get better when the weather warms, but it may not be easy to look at the pitcher who has not shown anything positively and give him a chance steadily. He has to show a different result in his next appearance. Takeda will hope to take the mound in a warm situation different from his previous two appearances.

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*This content was translated by AI.