Samsung Lions' chance to secure first place in the first half vanished as their ace reliever, Choi Ji-kwang, with an ERA of 2.45, was sidelined! Can left-hander Lee Seung-hyun, who posted a 14.81 ERA, become the hope?

*This content was translated by AI.

The Samsung Lions lost their ace reliever Choi Ji-kwang (28) in a situation where they could have secured first place for the first half. Lee Seung-hyun (24), a left-handed pitcher called up after just about two months to fill the void, brought hope to the exhausted bullpen.

Choi Ji-kwang, who has been active as Samsung's ace reliever for two consecutive years, concluded his brilliant first half of the 2026 season two days early. Park Jin-man (50), Samsung's manager, stated on the 8th ahead of the Daegu LG Twins game that Choi was removed from the first division roster due to discomfort in his right flexor muscle.

Choi Ji-kwang recorded four wins with no losses, eight holds, one save, an ERA of 2.45, and 21 strikeouts over 22 innings in 25 games this year, playing a major role in helping Samsung secure second place for the first half. He also appeared in the first game of the three-game home series against LG, which was dubbed the "preliminary Korean Series," pitching one scoreless inning to contribute to Samsung's 9-2 victory and reclaiming first place.

Given this situation, Samsung has decided to proceed with extra caution. Manager Park Jin-man said, "There are only two games left in the first half, so we made this decision for rest purposes heading into the second half. To be certain, we will film video today (the 8th) and expect a precise diagnosis tomorrow (the 9th)."

Lee Seung-hyun, a left-handed pitcher, filled Choi Ji-kwang's vacancy. Lee had not won any games in his three appearances with the first division team this year, posting two losses and an ERA of 14.81, which was far from good. Consequently, he could not return to the first division after the April 24 game against Kiwoom Heroes. Fortunately, he showed recovery in the Futures League with three wins, one loss, and an ERA of 2.13 over nine games, returning to the first division after 75 days.

Manager Park Jin-man stated, "LG has many left-handed batters. In a situation where we needed to bring up one pitcher from the Futures League, Lee Seung-hyun was the most consistent performer. He says his condition is currently at its best, and we are considering using him as a long reliever for two days."

This is similar to the situation of Japanese Asian quota player Miyaji Yura (27), who has lost his spot due to continued poor performance. Miyaji recorded three holds and one save with no wins over 33 games, posting an ERA of 5.97, leading to rumors of his removal. Manager Park Jin-man emphasized, "We want to see how Lee Seung-hyun performs when he is called up. We also plan to send Miyaji out in the second half without burden during chase situations. When we win, we must win decisively."

Coincidentally, on the 8th against Daegu LG, both players were given a chance to prove their value. Samsung's starting pitcher Jack O'Connell collapsed early, and the team was trailing 2-5 before the fifth inning. Miyaji got the first opportunity but did not last long. In the bottom of the fifth inning with two outs and runners on second base, Miyaji threw a 152 km/h fastball that hit Park Dong-won in the head, resulting in his ejection for a headshot.

Lee Seung-hyun was the opposite. Although the game was already tilted as Samsung trailed LG 2-7, Lee Seung-hyun entered with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning and took full responsibility on the mound for 2⅓ innings, allowing only one run. Thanks to this, Samsung was able to minimize bullpen overload.

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*This content was translated by AI.