'Again' Kim Young-gyu, shoulder pain notwithstanding, shows strong will... "Asked for just a little more time" [Changwon on-site]

*This content was translated by AI.

Kim Young-gyu (26, NC Dinos) was once again hindered by his chronic shoulder pain. While the worst-case scenario was avoided, he is currently experiencing discomfort. Nevertheless, Kim Young-gyu demonstrated a strong will to remain with the first division team.

On the 27th, during the game against the Hanwha Eagles at Changwon NC Park, Kim Young-gyu entered in relief in the bottom of the 7th inning, recording one hit allowed and one strikeout over ⅓ of an inning before being unexpectedly substituted for Lim Ji-min with a 2-1 count against batter Kang Baek-ho.

An NC Dinos official stated, "Kim Young-gyu was substituted due to discomfort in his left shoulder while pitching in the bottom of the 7th inning. He is currently undergoing icing treatment and is scheduled for a hospital visit tomorrow (the 28th)."

NC manager Lee Ho-jun (50), speaking to reporters ahead of the Hanwha game on the 28th, explained, "It seems the pain in the area he has been dealing with has come on a bit stronger than before. We intended to finish the inning, but the catcher gave the signal first to bring him out. After a hospital checkup, the diagnosis was that there was no significant difference from before. However, the player felt some pain and requested to wait one or two more days."

Kim Young-gyu, who experienced shoulder pain once in 2024, has lived with chronic shoulder discomfort as if it were a recurring ailment. Manager Lee said, "Looking at pitchers, each has some discomfort. Injuries tend to recur in the same areas, and you can consider Young-gyu the same. The same goes for Shin Min-hyuk."

With scarce left-handed relief pitching resources, finding a replacement was not straightforward. Nevertheless, the team called up 19-year-old rookie left-handed pitcher Choi Yo-han, a third-round draft pick who is highly regarded in the Futures League. Manager Lee stated, "He was recommended first and is currently on standby. He joined the first division team yesterday and is prepared to be called up immediately depending on whether Kim Young-gyu's contract is terminated."

However, they decided to wait for now, as Kim Young-gyu's will is strong. Manager Lee said, "We plan to see him until Sunday (the 31st). The training staff came and said the player has a very strong will. Since there have been similar cases before, he asked for just a little more time. So we decided to make a clear judgment by Sunday. If he can do catchball tomorrow and shows no abnormalities, he could appear in a game."

Kim Young-gyu is a precious asset to NC. As a left-handed relief pitcher, he recorded an ERA in the 3rd-point range for three consecutive seasons up to last year and secured 21 holds last year, earning a spot on the national team.

This season, he pitched 20⅔ innings in 28 games with a record of 1 win, 2 losses, and 2 holds, posting an ERA of 3.92. While there is still some room for improvement, he had regained stability, lowering his ERA to 2.35 since the start of May.

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*This content was translated by AI.