*This content was translated by AI.
It seemed they could challenge for the top spot, but the situation has now deteriorated to the point where they are being threatened by mid-tier teams.
As of the 11th after playing 36 games, SSG has recorded 19 wins, 16 losses, and 1 tie, placing them in 4th place. They have surrendered 3rd place to Samsung Lions, with a gap of two games. They are being chased by the co-5th place KIA Tigers and Doosan Bears by a margin of 2.5 games.
In the nine games played since May, they have fallen to last place with 2 wins, 6 losses, and 1 tie. Their team ERA has dropped to 6.26, placing them 9th, and even their strength, the bullpen, has become unstable, resulting in four comeback losses during this period. In games where they were leading through the fifth inning, they had only 1 win and 3 losses, with a winning percentage ranking 9th.
While there are various issues, the solution may lie in the struggles of the starting rotation. Last year, they built a powerful starting rotation featuring Drew Anderson (Detroit), Mitch White, Kim Kwang-hyun, and Kim Geon-woo, and their pitching staff boasted the strongest performance in the league under their contributions. This was the secret behind SSG, which ranked 8th in batting average (0.256), managing to reach 3rd place.
This year, the situation has changed significantly. The team started the season with Kim Kwang-hyun and rookie pitcher Kim Min-jun sidelined due to injuries. The fundamental problem appears to be the lack of stability in the starting rotation. In effect, the roles of the top two pitchers are being filled by Kim Geon-woo and Choi Min-jun. Kim Geon-woo has recorded 4 wins with no losses in 7 games, with an ERA of 3.75, while Choi Min-jun has shown stability with 1 win and 2 losses in 7 games, posting an ERA of 3.23.
The problem lies with the foreign pitchers. The fact that they are supposed to be the top two pitchers also means that the foreign pitchers are not fulfilling their roles.
Mitch White recorded 1 win and 1 loss with an ERA of 4.11 in 6 games before being sidelined due to a minor tear in the rotator cuff of his right shoulder. SSG decided he would need more than six weeks for rehabilitation and temporarily signed Kojiro Hiramoto, who had been playing in the Japanese independent league. Hiramoto showed a disappointing start in his debut, allowing 3 hits, 6 walks, and 6 earned runs over 4 innings.
Anthony Venegas has struggled with 1 win and 2 losses in 7 games, posting an ERA of 5.19. However, it is encouraging that he showed a different side in his last two games, pitching more than 5 innings in both and allowing no more than 2 earned runs.
The performance of Shota Takeda, who secured 66 wins in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), is urgently needed. Takeda, who joined SSG under the Asia quota, won 13 games in 2015 and 14 games in 2016, and also played for the Japanese national baseball team.
In 2023, he fought hard with an ERA of 3.91 in 29 games for the SoftBank Hawks, but after undergoing elbow surgery in April of the following year, he focused on rehabilitation. While improving his condition in the minor leagues, he received a call from SSG.
So far, he has only brought disappointment. With 1 win and 4 losses in 6 games and an ERA of 8.14, he has been the worst among the starting pitchers. Although Takeda is weak in cold weather, he also faced bad luck, frequently appearing in games after rain when the weather turned particularly chilly.
Manager Lee Sung-yong said, "There is a point where strength drops significantly after the 2nd or 3rd inning, and there are times when the defense fails to help," and added, "Of course, the collapse after that was partly due to Takeda being shaken, but the defense should have performed a bit better."
However, since he is not a pitcher with little experience, it can be said that he has reached a point where excuses no longer work.
SSG will face KT Wiz, who are leading the league, starting from the 12th. Kim Geon-woo, Takeda, and Anthony are expected to take the mound in that order, making Takeda's role more important than ever.
If the starting pitchers fulfill their roles, the burden on the bullpen will decrease, and SSG's strengths can be revived. Since May, the reliable relievers Noh Kyung-eun, Kim Min, and Lee Run have all been struggling, leading to continued difficulties.
If they cannot create a turning point for a reversal even against KT, the situation could become even more difficult.
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*This content was translated by AI.
