"Scold the manager, but encourage the players." Manager Yeom Kyung-yeop's earnest plea: Why did he seek encouragement despite three consecutive walk-off defeats? [Suwon]

*This content was translated by AI.

LG Twins manager Yeom Kyung-yeop (58) asked players for much encouragement despite the shock of three consecutive walk-off defeats.

On the 30th, ahead of the visiting game against KT Wiz at Suwon KT Wiz Park for the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular season, Manager Yeom Kyung-yeop calmly reflected on the recent three-game losing streak, stating, "There has never been an easy season since I took over. The aftermath of the 2023 WBC championship, and last year we started without a bullpen."

LG suffered three consecutive walk-off defeats, falling to second place, 2.5 games behind first-place KT. At the same time, they allowed SSG Landers to catch up, resulting in a tie for second place.

The impact of closer Yoo Young-chan's departure was significant. Yoo Young-chan was effectively out for the season after surgery was confirmed on the 27th for a stress fracture of the right elbow's olecranon. Although the team tried to hold on with existing resources, the bullpen's control issues and failed relief appearances continued over three games, leading to painful defeats. The poor performance of trusted pitchers Jang Hyun-sik and Kim Young-woo was so severe that discussions even arose about bringing back Go Woo-seok (28, Iri Seoul Buds) from the U.S.

Manager Yeom Kyung-yeop smiled and said, "I didn't predict that the team would be shaken this much after Young-chan left. Many people have told me to replace Young-chan in the closer role. But Young-chan will have realized how important a player he is through this series."

He added, "I believe it is better to discover problems in April to June rather than face situations we cannot handle in August or September. Now is the time to address the identified issues. Although we showed our worst performance after Young-chan left, this game also made us aware that such problems can occur at any time."

Although the recent three-game losing streak was not good, LG was the strongest team in April with 16 wins and 7 losses, leading the league in winning percentage. KT, which inflicted the worst two consecutive walk-off defeats on LG, also had 16 wins and 8 losses, making them a strong team in second place in winning percentage. Thus, LG's defeats were not entirely surprising.

Manager Yeom Kyung-yeop emphasized, "I want to tell our players that they fought well enough in April. In fact, when April began, I thought holding a .500 winning percentage would be considered a success. However, luck was on our side, and we won eight consecutive games. The players currently struggling, (Woo) Kang-hoon and (Jang) Hyun-sik, were players who played a sufficient role in that eight-game winning streak."

He continued, "The fact that they played a role in the eight-game winning streak clearly shows they can do that work again. The current difficulties will serve as an opportunity to become stronger in the upcoming season. The beginning of May might be a bit tough, but by mid-May, our team will have more stable conditions. If we achieve a +5 win-loss margin from there, I believe there will be no major problems."

This series against KT featured many issues, including poor control by the bullpen, disappointing defense, and base-running plays. Regarding these aspects, the manager earnestly asked fans for encouragement rather than criticism. Manager Yeom stated, "Due to various circumstances, we came into this KT series with the goal of one win and two losses. I am truly angry that we missed games we could have won. However, baseball does not always go as planned. Fans are likely very angry too, but there are definitely parts where our players performed well."

He further clarified his position, "There were situations where I could have made a quicker pitching change or prevented the outcome. However, as the manager, I believe that during the early part of the season, we must give players the opportunity to overcome crises. The results of that decision and the responsibility for any mistakes lie with me."

He also urged, "Many of the players currently on the field are still growing. Therefore, I hope fans will scold the manager but offer much encouragement to the players. In fact, the part that affects players the most mentally is not the manager but the fans. Much encouragement can, in a way, help with the players' mental management."

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*This content was translated by AI.