'I got sick, was ejected, and had no luck.' Even so, Lotte foreign investor breaks through head-on: "Never lost confidence, relied heavily on Son Seong-bin"

*This content was translated by AI.

Jeremy Bissley (31), a Lotte Giants foreign pitcher who endured misfortune throughout the first half, chose to press forward in the second half as well.

On the 4th, Bissley started at Suwon KT Wiz Park in a regular-season KBO League match against KT Wiz, pitching six innings with two hits allowed, three walks, six strikeouts, and one earned run, leading Lotte to a 4-1 victory.

That day, Bissley threw a total of 95 pitches: 32 fastballs, 31 sweepers, 20 cutters, and 12 forkballs, enduring long innings. His fastest fastball reached 153 km/h. Aside from the third inning where he allowed a run, there were no significant crises. The forkball and cutter that dropped low inside against left-handed batters were effective, while the sweeper served as a decisive pitch that induced swings and misses regardless of location.

After the game, Bissley met with reporters and said, "It was a good game. Before the match, I entered with a clear plan together with Son Seong-bin, and I believe we executed it well during the game. The most important thing today was that I felt more comfortable pitching on the mound. In the past, I had pressure to pitch long innings myself. Relieving that burden led to good results."

This was his first win in 52 days since May 13 against the Busan NC Dinos. Many things happened along the way. On June 21 against the Gochi Kiwoom Heroes, he managed only four innings due to stomach issues, and on June 28 against the Busan LG Twins, he was ejected after the ball slipped from his hand and hit him in the head.

Regarding this, Bissley responded, "The last two games were a bit strange. In one game, I had health problems, and in the previous appearance, I ended up leaving earlier than intended. So when preparing for this game, I entered with the mindset of showing my full 100% capability. On the mound, I tried not to become another player but to pitch as myself."

With this performance, Bissley concluded the first half of the KBO League with 16 games, five wins, four losses, an ERA of 4.48, 84⅓ innings pitched, and 97 strikeouts. Alongside Alvin Rodriguez, Bissley was expected to be a one-two punch capable of throwing fastballs exceeding 155 km/h from the start, garnering as much anticipation as last year's Hanwha Eagles foreign duo of Cody Ponce and Ryan Weiss.

That expectation has not yet been fully met. Misfortune played a role in this as well. According to Statiz, Korea's baseball statistics site, Bissley's BABIP (batting average on balls in play) stands at an impressive 0.378, ranking first in the league.

Bissley remarked, "I like numbers, so I'm aware of all these facts. Honestly, when watching games, there were times when batted balls resulted in infield hits or lucky outs, and I felt unlucky. There were many moments when I wondered, 'Why is this happening?' But that's also part of baseball."

He continued, "Ultimately, the most important thing is the score on the scoreboard after the game. Even if I allow runners due to batted balls, my duty is to prevent those runners from scoring. I trust the coaching staff, the fielders behind me, and Son Seong-bin. There have been many results caused by bad luck, but I believe the numbers will eventually catch up."

This confidence is also rooted in his growing chemistry with catcher Son Seong-bin. Bissley explained, "Every pitcher has days when things don't go according to plan on the mound. In those situations, you have to trust your catcher (You've just got to trust your catcher in that way). In such moments, I discuss with Son Seong-bin and adjust our plans based on how batters react."

Although this is only his sixth year as a full-time starting catcher, Bissley trusts Son's experience. Bissley praised, "I think Son Seong-bin is a very smart player. He has more experience in the KBO League than I do, so he understands opposing batters extremely well. His ability to read batters' reactions and adjust accordingly is excellent."

He added, "Of course, there are times when I reject his signs. That happens when I feel a particular pitch doesn't suit the moment or when I see something Son Seong-bin might have missed. Sometimes it works out well; other times it doesn't. But fundamentally, in terms of running the game with a plan, I rely heavily on Son Seong-bin."

Although he already spent three years with the Hanshin Tigers in Japan's NPB, Korean professional baseball is different. Bissley defined the past four months of the first half as a period of adapting to Lotte and the KBO League. He stated, "I always have confidence when I'm on the mound. I'm not easily shaken. Honestly, the first half wasn't good. But I never lost even a bit of confidence. When moving to a new league, everyone needs an adjustment period. I believe I am going through that process. I intend to continue doing what I've done so far. The detailed metrics tell me that luck will turn back in my favor."

He further expressed, "I am happy and confident right now. Looking back, it's good to see the fielders behind me. Just as the team needs me, I need this team. If I continue to trust those around me and myself while pitching like I do now, I believe we will have a great second half."

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*This content was translated by AI.