'With' LG's 5.2 billion won fully guaranteed investment, will it be returned with compound interest in two years! The move to switch to a starting pitcher, with an ERA of 6.10 dropping to 2 earned runs over 18⅓ innings, proved to be a masterstroke.

*This content was translated by AI.

LG Twins' Jang Hyun-sik (31) appears to have made a masterstroke by switching to a starting pitcher. He has been elevated to the starting rotation, with Yeom Kyung-yeop (58), LG's manager, even considering having him appear in two games a week.

Manager Yeom Kyung-yeop stated on the 24th ahead of the Samsung game at Jamsil, "Jang Hyun-sik will start on Sunday (the 28th). (Song) Seung-gi will be deployed around next week, and (Jang) Hyun-sik will throw up to around 80 pitches even on Sunday."

Jang Hyun-sik has recently switched to a starting pitcher and has delivered strong performances in two consecutive starts. In his first start in six years on the 17th against KIA in Gwangju, he earned a passing grade with 4⅔ innings and 2 earned runs. In his second start on the 23rd against Samsung at Jamsil, he pitched 5 innings, allowed 3 hits, walked 1, and recorded 2 strikeouts without allowing any runs, securing his first starting win in 3,191 days since September 27, 2017, during his time with NC.

The previous day (the 23rd), he had thrown 67 pitches through 5 innings, potentially aiming for a quality start (a starting pitcher throwing 6 or more innings with 3 or fewer earned runs) for the first time in nine years. In response, Manager Yeom Kyung-yeop said, "We expected Jang Hyun-sik to throw around 70 to 80 pitches yesterday. However, his velocity dropped in the 5th inning. We decided it was better to stop him than to push him to 80 pitches."

The manager's subsequent remarks gave hope that Jang Hyun-sik could be seen as a starter until the end of this season. Manager Yeom said, "The most important thing in the build-up process is to stop them when they are performing well. If (Jang) Hyun-sik gives up two runs, we can make a change. But giving up two runs and then going out for the next game is different from coming down cleanly. Since he clearly held them scoreless for 5 innings, everyone says the switch to a starter was successful. This may seem like nothing, but it makes a huge difference in the image given to the player himself and to the fans. The atmosphere perceived by the opposing team is the same."

Just three weeks ago, this would have been hard to imagine. Jang Hyun-sik played a role akin to a workhorse in the winning lineup, leading KIA to a championship in the 2024 season. Recognized for his multi-inning and consecutive appearance capabilities, he moved to LG under a top-tier condition for a relief pitcher: a four-year, 5.2 billion won fully guaranteed contract.

At LG, he was unable to fully utilize those strengths. In his first season last year, he recorded 56 games, 3 wins, 3 losses, 5 holds, 10 saves, an ERA of 4.35, 49⅔ innings, and 38 strikeouts, performing steadily. This year, he was even expected to be in the winning lineup, but until the KT game in Suwon on June 2nd, he was shuttling between the chasing group and the minor league, with his ERA soaring to as high as 6.10.

However, a proposal from LG's first-division pitching coach Kim Kwang-sam (46) created a dramatic turnaround. Manager Yeom recalled on the 17th during the KIA game in Gwangju, "After watching for the past year and six months, I thought the relief pitcher card for Jang Hyun-sik was over. We tried incredibly hard to make him work, but it didn't happen. While I was struggling with the decision, pitching coach Kim Kwang-sam suggested using (Jang) Hyun-sik as a long reliever."

He continued, "Starting pitchers also need stamina, and fortunately, Hyun-sik has very good stamina. Even after throwing close to 50 pitches, he didn't lose strength. Stopping four innings means he can shut down a full batting order. He must have gained confidence as well."

The shift in thinking appears to have been a masterstroke. In fact, Jang Hyun-sik pitched scoreless for 4 innings in the NC game at Jamsil on the 5th and scoreless for 4⅔ innings in the SSG game at Jamsil on the 11th, securing victories. Since then, he has recorded 2 earned runs over 18⅓ innings in four games and has now firmly established himself as the fourth starter.

Changes in pitch design also proved effective. Manager Yeom emphasized, "The most important thing is that we changed his pitch design. He was trying hard to avoid giving up runs every time, but he got hit. When (Jang) Hyun-sik gets hit, he always gets hit when the count goes to full. Creating an in-play ball from 1 ball-2 strikes or 2 balls-2 strikes is much more likely for Hyun-sik to win."

He continued, "Whether it's a batter, a pitcher, or a fielder, the person who attacks and avoids being hit can never win. This is one of the basic strategies of baseball. The first reason for Hyun-sik's success is that he changed his defensive approach to an offensive one. Ultimately, batters must succeed three times to win. Pitchers enter with a 70% win probability; why would they take the ball count into a disadvantageous position?"

If Jang Hyun-sik's starter switch project ends successfully, LG's investment from two years ago will be returned with compound interest. For LG, which lacks an overwhelming ace, a reliable starting resource is as good as having thousands of troops.

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*This content was translated by AI.