Huarado's honest confession: "The two-month gap was mentally tough... grateful to the teammates who held on → Overwhelmed with emotion returning to Samsung"

*This content was translated by AI.

Samsung Lions' "foreign ace" Ariel Huarado (30) has finally returned. After overcoming a long two-month absence, Huarado stepped back onto the mound, and his comeback added even more momentum to Samsung's dominant position in the league.

On the 6th, Samsung secured a decisive 10-4 victory over LG Twins in an away game at Jamsil Stadium in Songpa-gu, Seoul, powered by a total of 13 hits across both offense and defense. With this win, Samsung extended its winning streak to two games during the weekend's three-game series and increased its lead over second-place KT Wiz to 1.5 games.

Beyond the victory, Huarado's outstanding performance in his return game was undoubtedly the most valuable. Having last appeared on July 7 against LG in Daegu due to a right shoulder injury, he returned to the first-division mound after an impressive 61-day absence. Concerns about his sharpness after such a long layoff were unfounded. Huarado threw 102 pitches over 5⅔ innings, allowing six hits and four earned runs while striking out four batters, earning his sixth win of the season (with one loss).

In fact, Huarado's start on this day was somewhat challenging. He surrendered five hits in the first inning alone, quickly giving up four runs. However, Huarado remained composed. Reflecting on that moment, he calmly remarked, "This is something that can happen anytime in baseball. The batted balls simply didn't go directly to fielders. While the opposing hitters were performing well, what mattered most was my ability to adjust immediately."

Indeed, after allowing four runs, Huarado completely shut down LG's lineup from the second through fifth innings without conceding any further points, showcasing his ace credentials. He stated, "After giving up four runs, I focused on keeping the game competitive without allowing additional runs and creating opportunities for our team to take the lead. My teammates actually delivered the comeback, so all credit goes to them."

The pitch he was most satisfied with was undoubtedly the slider. Huarado explained, "Today, the velocity and break of my slider seemed extremely powerful against the opposing batters. Thanks to actively utilizing the slider, I was able to effectively navigate the remaining five innings without allowing any runs after the first."

Behind his victory in the return game lay unseen inner struggles. The 61-day absence was indeed a long tunnel requiring immense patience for Huarado. He openly shared, "Honestly, when I first got injured, it affected me mentally and caused some instability."

However, he quickly displayed veteran composure. Huarado emphasized, "But this is my 14th year in professional baseball. I had to maintain strong mental fortitude. Having experienced many challenges throughout my career, I dedicated myself to building both physical and mental resilience without wavering."

The presence of teammates during his rehabilitation period was the greatest source of support. He also expressed heartfelt gratitude toward Austin Bost (34), who joined as a short-term foreign replacement to fill his absence and reliably held down the mound. Huarado said, "While I was away, all my teammates united and fought fiercely. Especially Bost, who filled my spot, delivered excellent pitching in the final four games. Thanks to him, both the team and I received significant help."

He also praised the solid defense by position players. He added, "I am grateful not only to the fielders but to the entire team. Today, our outfielders showcased several outstanding defensive plays. As always, their high-level performance provided me with strong support, allowing me to hold the mound until the sixth inning."

On this day, Huarado delivered even more powerful pitches than during his three previous Futures League buildup appearances. He stated firmly, "I feel my velocity has definitely returned in today's game. During the buildup starts, I didn't reach 150 km/h, but today I did. Every pitch I threw was full of power. Personally, I am satisfied with my performance in this return game."

He also acknowledged Samsung's consideration in extending his expected return date by about a week beyond the originally planned end of August. He said, "The team gave me sufficient time without rushing my return, which turned out to be a great benefit. Had I returned hastily, I might have only thrown 80–85 pitches. Thanks to being fully prepared for an additional week, I was able to reach 100 pitches today."

He also did not hide his pride as an ace and his determination heading into the postseason. Huarado smiled and said, "Actually, I always take pride in being a pitcher who consistently records quality starts (QS). Although I didn't achieve a QS today due to four earned runs, I fulfilled my responsibility through six innings." He continued, "This was just my return game. Moving forward, I will perform well in the remaining regular-season games and ensure I am fully prepared to contribute during the postseason."

After the game, Samsung manager Park Jin-man also praised Huarado, saying, "His sharpness had naturally declined, so he wavered slightly in the first inning, but he regained stability immediately from the second. As a starter, he endured as many innings as possible and perfectly laid the foundation for our comeback victory."

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.