'ERA 3.67 VS 6.31' Why the final opponent of the first half... trusting the rookie's shoulders again

*This content was translated by AI.

It was unfortunate that they faced Doosan Bears in the final stretch of the first half. With their starting rotation completely collapsed, they aim to break their losing streak against Doosan, which has been dominating with an overwhelming starting pitching performance.

SSG Landers will face Doosan in a midweek three-game series starting from the 7th at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium. The KBO League will conclude its first half after this three-game series. Following a break that includes the All-Star Game on the 11th, the second half schedule begins on the 16th.

Facing fifth-place Doosan while mired in a nine-game losing streak. Their season head-to-head record stands at 3 wins and 3 losses, but the current situation is dire. The gap in starting pitching strength is too vast.

SSG's starting rotation is in its worst state. Before the season even began, Kim Kwang-hyun was scheduled for surgery, and rookie Kim Min-jun had already departed, yet no foreign pitcher has fulfilled their role, and inexperienced domestic starters have failed to find their footing.

The starting ERA reaches a staggering 6.31. Not a single pitcher has completed the required innings, and after Kim Geon-woo (7 wins, 7 losses), the most wins recorded by any pitcher is just two, achieved by Anthony Venegas, who was recently released. Since then, Thomas Hatch, Choi Min-jun, Mitch White (who left the team), Shota Takeda, and Kim Min-jun have each secured only one win.

In contrast, Doosan boasts the league's strongest starting rotation. Their team ERA is 3.67, ranking first, with three pitchers meeting the required innings threshold. Choi Min-seok alone has nine wins, Kwak Bin has seven, and five starters collectively have accumulated 25 wins—double SSG's total.

Today, SSG will start with Kim Min-jun. After making his debut on the 9th of last month due to injury, he has started four games since then and secured his first victory. In the game against KIA Tigers on the 1st, he pitched 4⅔ innings allowing three runs but narrowly failed to complete five innings.

However, considering SSG's recent starting pitching performance, this is still a relatively decent level. Moreover, given that he is a rookie, there is significant room for improvement, which warrants optimism.

This is not merely an issue with the starting rotation. During their three-game series against Samsung Lions, SSG's mound surrendered 32 runs and collapsed. The breakdown was not limited to the pitching staff; costly fielding errors by position players at critical moments were also deeply painful.

The most fundamental reason for SSG's collapse this season lies in their starting rotation. As the starters repeatedly faltered early, the burden fell entirely on the bullpen, beginning to negatively impact even last year's dominant relief corps. The current bullpen ERA sits at 5.50, ranking ninth.

Ultimately, the solution lies with the starting rotation. Signs of change are emerging on a mound that previously offered little hope. Hatch has newly joined, and after releasing Venegas, new pitchers will be added from the second half onward. Kim Min-jun is also one of the factors expected to spark SSG's turnaround.

The starting rotation must stabilize to reduce the burden on the bullpen. Once the mound becomes stable, opportunities to win will naturally increase.

To achieve a turnaround, breaking the losing streak is the immediate priority. They must absolutely end their losing streak in this final three-game series of the first half. Rookie Kim Min-jun has volunteered to be the stopper against the losing streak with a strong performance that proves he is the beacon of hope for the new team.

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*This content was translated by AI.