"Regret not getting a double play" — The LG player with the strongest nerves recognized by Yeom Kyung-yeop, who evened despite a scoreless pitching performance with one out and bases loaded

*This content was translated by AI.

Indeed, the LG Twins' player with the strongest nerves recognized by manager Yeom Kyung-yeop (58) was Kim Jin-su (28), who saved the team from a bases-loaded crisis and left a deep impression bying himself.

On the 23rd, LG secured a 5-2 victory over the Kiwoom Heroes in a regular-season home game at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League.

The turning point came in the bottom of the 8th when LG led 4-2. Relief pitcher Kim Jin-seong, who entered the game, started on a high note by striking out the first batter, Im Byung-wook, with a swinging strikeout. However, he found himself in trouble after allowing consecutive hits to Choi Ju-hwan and Kim Woong-bin. Even the strategy of inducing a swinging strikeout from Park Ju-hong with six consecutive forkballs failed, resulting in a bases-loaded situation with one out.

At this moment, LG strengthened its defense by removing third baseman Lee Young-bin and inserting second baseman Shin Min-jae. On the mound, they made a bold move by replacing Kim Jin-seong with Kim Jin-su, a decision that fully met expectations. Kim Jin-su repeatedly threw his signature forkball to Jeon Tae-hyun, inducing swinging strikes. On the second forkball, Jeon's bat made contact, and the ball headed toward Kim Jin-su. He immediately threw to home plate to get the runner from third out. He then induced a ground ball to third base from Oh Seon-jin with a dropping outside slider, ending the 8th inning without allowing any runs. Kiwoom failed to score any runs against reliever Son Ju-young in the 9th, securing the victory for LG.

After the game, manager Yeom Kyung-yeop specifically noted, "Kim Jin-su played a decisive role in the victory by stopping the crisis in the 8th inning with one out and bases loaded, which was the most critical moment." Kim Jin-su also commented on his appearance in the bases-loaded situation, saying, "I didn't worry too much. I just thought about doing what I could and trying to stop them as much as possible." He added, "I threw my best today, and it led to a good result. I feel really good that I could contribute to the team's victory."

This was a game where the manager's keen observation of Kim Jin-su's exceptional courage paid off. Kim Jin-su, a right-handed pitcher, was drafted in the second round of the 2021 KBO Rookie Draft as the 17th overall pick after graduating from Gunsan High School and Chung-Ang University. This year, his sixth in the pros, he seized the opportunity due to injuries among the team's regular players. Although his fastball velocity isn't particularly high, he has demonstrated his talent as a versatile reliever through his ability to pitch multiple innings and maintain a steady mindset.

Manager Yeom Kyung-yeop previously praised Kim Jin-su on the 9th during a game against Hanwha in Daejeon, saying, "I really like Kim Jin-su's style. Since last year, I've brought him to camp because his performance on the mound is the best among our middle relievers." He further emphasized, "Kim Jin-su's average fastball velocity is around 144 km/h. He occasionally reaches 148 km/h, but what matters most is his confidence on the mound."

Kim Jin-su expressed regret that the inning did not end with a double play. When Jeon Tae-hyun was put out on a ground ball, Kim Jin-su's throw was slightly wide, causing Park Dong-won, who received the ball, to be slightly late in throwing to first base, which prevented the double play.

Recalling that moment, Kim Jin-sued, "I was really disappointed that we couldn't turn it into a double play. The coaches worked very hard to help, and I feel even more regretful that we couldn't achieve a better result in that situation. However, I'm really glad we managed to hold on and stop them."

He continued, "I hope to step up and stop runs in even more important moments in the future. But like today, I will be grateful for any opportunity given to me and throw my best in any situation."

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*This content was translated by AI.