"No Futures League Appearance" — The Reliable 19-Year-Old Cub Lion, Immediately Reinserted as Starter Upon First-Team Registration! Thanks to Him, the Left-Hander with the "Blister Misfortune" Can Return Gradually

*This content was translated by AI.

Jang Chan-hee (19), known as the "Baby Lion," is drawing attention for his composure beyond his rookie status and is helping Samsung Lions with its relaxed starting pitcher rotation.

Samsung manager Park Jin-man stated on the 13th ahead of the Jamsil LG Twins game, "Left-hander Lee Seung-hyun was originally scheduled to start on the 14th. However, due to discomfort in his left foot during a Futures League game, Yang Chang-seop will start in his place."

According to a Samsung club official, left-hander Lee Seung-hyun (24) pitched two innings in a home game against the Lotte Giants' Futures team on the 10th and developed a blister under his left big toe. Despite the unexpected injury delaying his return, manager Park Jin-man appeared relaxed. This was understandable, as Samsung has recently been the team showing the most stable performance, built on a solid mound. Since May, the team's ERA stands at 3.31, ranking first in the league.

Especially impressive is the performance of the starting rotation. Led by Jack O'Clarin, an overseas player signed to replace the injured Matt Manning, starters Won Tae-in, Choi Won-tae, and Ariel Jurado have showcased overwhelming performance with a May starting ERA of 2.66. This is a significant margin ahead of Lotte, which ranks second in May starting ERA at 4.15. Thanks to this, Samsung has been able to achieve an eight-game winning streak for the first time in 12 years, and Lee Seung-hyun could prepare for his return without rushing.

Among those contributing to the momentum of Samsung's starting rotation is the team's youngest player, Jang Chan-hee. After graduating from Haeundae Little League, Centum Middle School, and Gyeongnam High School, Jang, a right-handed pitcher and right-handed batter, joined the team as a rookie selected in the 3rd round, 29th overall, of the 2026 KBO Rookie Draft. He received high praise from the coaching staff since spring camp for his bold pitching that defied his rookie status.

Although a rookie, he made the opening day roster and joined the starting rotation from the April 26 game against the Kiwoom Heroes at Gocheok Sky Dome. As his performance gradually improved, he achieved his first quality start (starting pitcher pitching 6 or more innings with 3 or fewer earned runs) and secured his first starting win in the May 8 game against the NC Dinos in Changwon, pitching 6 innings and allowing 1 run.

Currently, he has been removed from the first-team roster for rest purposes starting from the 9th. However, he is already recognized as a reliable pillar of the starting rotation, with his immediate reinsertion as a starter upon re-registration to the first-team roster already anticipated.

Manager Park Jin-man said, "(Jang) Chan-hee has been traveling with the first team continuously. He is pitching in the bullpen here. He will not appear in a Futures League game but will come in as a starter immediately after 10 days." When asked by reporters about the development of new weapons, he smiled, saying, "He is already good. What more... Chan-hee has many pitch types."

The manager explained, "(Jang) Chan-hee started as a long reliever from the opening day and logged many innings. There is a difference between throwing five pitches under pressure in difficult situations and throwing 20 pitches in a comfortable state. When we struggled as starters, he performed that role (long relief) well. We thought Chan-hee now needed rest."

He also did not hesitate to praise other pitchers who struggled due to the departure of key players early in the season. Manager Park said, "In April, apart from Jurado, few pitchers managed to last five innings. But they seem to be gradually gaining confidence. Our starting pitchers and middle relievers are now rotating perfectly. That is why we have not collapsed early in the season and are managing to hold on until the latter half, scoring additional runs and maintaining a good flow."

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*This content was translated by AI.