'What happened during the WBC' not a concern, ERA 0.59 dramatic turnaround! "You are the ace," both the manager and the top starter acknowledged

*This content was translated by AI.

LG Twins left-handed pitcher Song Seung-ki (24) turned the pain of missing the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) into an opportunity for growth.

Song Seung-ki told StarNews at Jamsil Baseball Stadium recently, "I feel my command and feel have improved compared to last year. Now that I can make all my breaking balls strikes, I think I can handle games more easily", he said.

Following last year's championship, LG has been on a winning streak from the start of this season. At the center of this is the significant role of starting pitcher Song Seung-ki. In 3 games, he has 1 win, no losses, an ERA of 0.59, 15⅓ innings pitched, 4 walks, 13 strikeouts, and a WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched) of 0.98, demonstrating top-tier performance in the league.

This is an even more impressive achievement given that his physical condition is not yet at 100%. Song Seung-ki did not appear in a single game during the 2026 WBC held last month. As a result, he did not undergo a sufficient build-up process required to pitch full games as a starter.

LG did not rush, gradually increasing Song Seung-ki's innings: 3⅓ innings (the 19th), 4⅓ innings (the 1st), 5 innings (the 7th), and 6 innings (the 14th). Even though his average fastball velocity has not increased by 2 km/h compared to previous years, he has minimized walks and thrown above-average breaking balls, actually generating more swings and misses.

Manager Yeom Kyung-yeop explained, "We have huge expectations for Song Seung-ki this year. Last year, he struggled a bit against left-handed batters due to the value of his slider. Pitching coach Kim Kwang-sam worked incredibly hard since December last year to enhance the value of Song's slider. Additionally, the completion of his forkball, which he has thrown since last year, has also improved".

Song Seung-ki's greatest strength lies in his exceptional vertical movement on his fastball, allowing him to throw difficult pitches. With improved breaking ball completion, his power has doubled. Manager Yeom emphasized, "Song Seung-ki is currently in a build-up phase. His average fastball velocity still needs to increase by 2 km/h. Nevertheless, he can deliver perfect pitching because the trajectories of his slider, changeup, forkball, and curveball are all different. This makes it difficult for batters to predict and hit, and also increases the value of his fastball".

Song Seung-ki agreed. He said, "I was disappointed at the time, but looking back, I think it was fortunate that I didn't pitch in the WBC, as it helped me build up my body slowly", and added, "I also feel my slider has become sharper compared to last year. Asking my senior (Son) Ju-young and other seniors for advice and trying various things after going to the WBC seems to have helped".

In particular, the slider grip he learned from Son Ju-young was a great help. Song Seung-ki recalled, "(Son) Ju-young has a cutter grip. I tried copying it, but when I threw it, it became a slider instead of a cutter. I kept throwing it that way, and the feel was similar to my fastball, so I asked Ju-young a lot".

He continued, "I am throwing more breaking balls, including sliders, during bullpen sessions and catch practice. I throw them frequently to maintain my feel. Previously, I would choose and throw breaking balls only when I felt good that day, but now I have the confidence to throw breaking balls even on first pitches or in unfavorable counts to get strikes", he emphasized.

With this positive momentum, the promising left-handed pitcher has even received high praise from the manager for potentially growing into the domestic number one starter. Manager Yeom stressed, "I think Song Seung-ki will grow another level this year. He is a pitcher who throws very aggressively, and if his velocity increases by about 2 km/h, his other pitches will become much better".

He further stated, "Last year, Song Seung-ki's 12 wins were extremely valuable. He beat foreign pitchers and saved the team during critical moments. I believe 6 or 7 of his wins were game-saving performances. The same will hold true this year", explaining why he sees potential for Song to become the domestic number one starter.

This is also acknowledged by Im Chan-kyu (34), who previously served as LG's domestic number one starter. Song Seung-ki said, "(Im) Chan-kyu told me after the Lotte game on the 14th, 'You are the ace now. You pitched well and worked hard.'Joo Syeot-neun-de (Auditor) I think the manager's words are still too much for me. However, I will think Joo Syeo-seo (Auditor) that way and want to pitch well so I can hear such words more in the future", he resolved.

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*This content was translated by AI.