'Samsung·LG Major Good News!' An Woo-jin to Pitch on the 7th Against KT, Not Doosan on the 5th: "Early Signs of Blisters, Avoiding Overexertion in First Half"

*This content was translated by AI.

Kiwoom Heroes' 'native ace' An Woo-jin (27) is postponing his pitching schedule by two days to manage finger blisters and ensure adequate rest. He will not make a twice-weekly start in the first half. Instead of the originally scheduled the 5th start against the Doosan Bears, he will make his first start of the series against the KT Wiz on the 7th. He is expected to emerge as a major variable in the top-tier race among the 'Big Three.'

Seol Jong-jin (53), manager of the Kiwoom Heroes, met with reporters on the first ahead of the game against the LG Twins at Gocheok Sky Dome in Guro-gu, Seoul. When asked about the reason An Woo-jin failed to complete six innings the previous day (June 30), Seol explained, "As he entered the sixth inning, he showed early signs of blisters on his fingers, and the pitching coach checked them. We judged it would be better to substitute him before the blisters could worsen further. Therefore, we substituted him regardless of the pitch count."

According to Manager Seol, the Kiwoom bench determined that if An Woo-jin continued to pitch recklessly, the blisters could worsen and lead to a long-term absence. It appears the manager's calculation to reduce the burden of a 'twice-weekly start' also played a role in adjusting the schedule. Had he pitched on the Sunday the 5th, he would have had to manage a tight schedule with only four days of rest. An Woo-jin, who is currently navigating the season after completing rehabilitation, is also understood to have felt some burden regarding a start with only four days of rest.

Manager Seol Jong-jin explained the background for changing the schedule, stating, "In any case, there was only one opportunity left for a twice-weekly start in the first half. There was no need to force a twice-weekly start. We believed it would be far more beneficial in the long run to give him a full week of rest and have him pitch on Tuesday (the 7th) against KT." While the starting pitcher for the the 5th Doosan game has not yet been finalized, right-hander Kim Yun-ha is a strong candidate.

Meanwhile, the Kiwoom organization plans to carefully consider whether to resume An Woo-jin's 'start after four days of rest' schedule as the second half race begins, aligning with the team's standing and rotation situation.

On the other hand, Kiwoom lined up its starting lineup against LG starter Ham Deok-ju as follows: Seo Geon-chang (second baseman), Choo Jae-hyun (left fielder), Ahn Chi-hong (first baseman), Hiura (designated hitter), Kim Geon-hee (catcher), Park Chan-hyuk (right fielder), Im Byung-wook (center fielder), Kwon Hyuk-bin (shortstop), and Yeo Dong-wook (third baseman). The starting pitcher was Raul Alcantara.

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*This content was translated by AI.