Samsung hit by a bolt from the blue! Ko Woo-seok to be on standby starting today (4th) → Yeom Kyung-yeop: "Will pitch only one inning in save situations; Son Ju-young gets a day off after three consecutive appearances"

*This content was translated by AI.

Third-place LG Twins, trailing second-place Samsung Lions by 4.5 games, have added significant reinforcements to their roster. 'Elite closer' Ko Woo-seok (28) will officially begin standby duty starting today (4th) ahead of the Samsung game at Jamsil. With a winning streak in progress, a powerful shield has been installed on LG's back door as they aim to solidify their position and challenge for the top spot.

LG Twins Manager Yeom Kyung-yeop met with reporters on the 4th ahead of the home game against Samsung Lions at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Songpa-gu, Seoul, as part of the '2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League', and clearly outlined his plan for utilizing Ko Woo-seok.

Manager Yeom stated, "I had many concerns until yesterday, but (Ko) Woo-seok will be on standby starting today," adding, "He will pitch only one inning in save situations." According to a StarNews report, Ko left early due to jet lag issues during the previous day's game (3rd).

The background behind Manager Yeom's decision to limit Ko Woo-seok to one inning in save situations is to prevent overloading the existing bullpen. LG secured a victory against Doosan at Jamsil on the previous day (3rd) and surged ahead with their first four consecutive wins of the second half, but closer Son Ju-young had pitched three consecutive games.

Manager Yeom reflected on the crucial moment of the previous game's outcome: "If we had lost, it could have significantly disrupted the team's momentum leading into the important weekend series against Samsung," explaining, "The reason we could take that risky gamble was because there was a clear alternative in Woo-seok starting today." He added, "Ju-young must rest today. The number of games isn't so high that he needs more than one day off. With Woo-seok available for standby duty today, the bullpen operations have gained much-needed breathing room."

He further emphasized, "Since this is his first appearance, it would be most comfortable for him to start in the ninth inning with no runners on base and pitch only one inning in save situations rather than multi-inning outings."

This weekend's three-game series at Jamsil marks the final matchup between the two teams this season just before entering the final stretch of the schedule. While Samsung holds a slight edge in head-to-head records with 6 wins and 5 losses, LG's momentum appears stronger after sweeping their midweek three-game series against Doosan to reach four consecutive victories. Third-place LG (67 wins, 51 losses, 1 tie) is determined to narrow the gap with second-place Samsung through this series and establish a foundation for chasing the top spot.

Both teams aiming to seize the initiative will field their ace pitchers with combined Major League Baseball (MLB) experience totaling 475 games: LG's Carlos Karasko and Samsung's Chris Paddack. A fiery starting duel between these two foreign investor aces has been set.

Today, LG will deploy its starting lineup featuring Shin Min-jae (second baseman), Park Hae-min (center fielder), Austin (first baseman), Song Chan-ui (left fielder), Moon Bo-kyung (third baseman), Moon Jung-bin (designated hitter), Koo Bon-hyuk (shortstop), Lee Ju-heon (catcher), and Hong Chang-ki (right fielder). Koo Bon-hyuk and Hong Chang-ki, who sat on the bench the previous day, return to the starting lineup in place of Oh Ji-hwan and Cheon Seong-ho, adding strength to the team.

If a tense, nail-biting battle continues until the ninth inning alongside Carlos Karasko's strong pitching performance, Samsung's batting lineup will have to face the heavy stuff of 'returning closer' Ko Woo-seok on the Jamsil mound. In this fierce Jamsil showdown between two teams separated by 4.5 games, it remains highly intriguing whether Ko Woo-seok can secure his first save upon return.

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*This content was translated by AI.