'QS 12' Falls Short of SSG, Ace Starter Missing... 'New Faces' Kim Min-jun and Hatch Hold the 'KEY'

*This content was translated by AI.

Quality Starts (QS) — defined as six or more innings pitched by a starter with three or fewer earned runs — total just nine. While that figure would rank tied for sixth individually, in reality, it is a collective tally from the entire SSG Landers starting rotation.

SSG has played 77 games this season, sitting at 30 wins, 45 losses, and 2 draws, placing them ninth. A four-game losing streak has widened the gap to eighth-place Lotte Giants to 4.5 games. The team finds itself in a dire situation, with no excuse for being labeled one of the league's "two weakest teams" alongside Kiwoom Heroes.

How could a team that finished third last year fall so drastically? While many changes have occurred, the most critical factor is the level of the starting rotation.

Last year, the team boasted a stable rotation led by Drew Anderson (Detroit) and Mitch White (released), with the addition of Kim Kwang-hyun and Kim Geon-woo. Their ERA of 3.86 ranked third in the league. Although their QS total of 45 ranked ninth, pitchers like Anderson, White, and Kim Kwang-hyun consistently covered five to six innings, minimizing the burden on relief pitchers.

This stability allowed the ironclad bullpen, composed of Jo Byung-hyun, Noh Kyung-eun, Lee Run, and Kim Min, to exert powerful influence. Last year, SSG's bullpen ERA of 3.36 was an overwhelming first place.

This season, the situation has completely changed. The team opened the season without Kim Kwang-hyun and rookie Kim Min-jun due to injuries. Opening-day starter Mitch White lasted only six games before leaving due to injury, while Anthony Venegas continues to show extreme inconsistency. Asian quota pitcher Shota Takeda has an ERA of 7.41.

Kim Geon-woo, who had been the ace through April, lost his effectiveness after May. Choi Min-joon also pitched well in April with a 1.54 ERA over five games, but his performance has declined since May.

The starting rotation's win total stands at 13, less than half of the league-leading LG Twins (27 wins). A bigger issue is their ability to eat innings. For example, Lotte Giants' starting ERA is 4.22 (fifth in the league), but they lead the league in innings pitched (422), relieving pressure on the bullpen. In contrast, SSG trails in starting ERA, wins, and innings pitched (354), ranking last in all categories.

The team's QS total of just nine is fewer than individual totals from Ariel Jurado (Samsung, 12), Anders Tolhurst (LG, 11), James Neill and Adam Oller (both KIA), and Raul Alcantara (Doosan, 10). The most QS recorded by any SSG pitcher is Kim Geon-woo's three, tying for 34th in the league.

With the burden on the bullpen increasing, last year's ironclad winning relief corps has crumbled. They held strong through April but have all been on a downward trend since May. The bullpen ERA has plummeted to 5.40, ranking ninth.

Earlier, General Manager Lee Sung-yong emphasized, "Starters must be able to cover five innings. I want to see them take responsibility," but the situation has not improved easily.

Recently, changes have occurred in the starting rotation. First-round rookie Kim Min-jun has finally joined the rotation this month, and Thomas Hatch has donned the SSG uniform as Mitch White's replacement.

Kim Min-jun pitched 3⅔ innings in his KBO debut against LG on the 9th, 4⅓ innings against Lotte on the 16th, and delivered a strong performance of five innings with one earned run against KT on the 24th, raising expectations.

Hatch also pitched 4⅓ innings in his debut against Samsung on the 14th, 5⅔ innings against NC on the 20th, and six innings against Hanwha on the 26th. Although he allowed a two-run homer in the sixth inning, increasing his earned runs to four, his outing was promising enough for SSG to have high hopes.

If the starting rotation gains strength centered around Hatch and Kim Min-jun, the burden on the bullpen will lessen, allowing them to regain their form. If the starting rotation flows smoothly, Kim Geon-woo and Choi Min-joon may also be able to shed the pressure and make a comeback.

SSG, currently hovering around a .400 winning percentage, must experience a completely different July to make the playoffs. The gap to the fifth-place group is 8.5 games. While not an easy margin to close, it is not impossible. This depends entirely on a rebound from the starting rotation.

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*This content was translated by AI.