'Six runs allowed' despairing left-handed duo → 'Sakura Squall' Kim Jin-wook the only hope for a lefty reliever... "Plan to use him in relief from the moment he joined" AG key card injured

*This content was translated by AI.

"There is only one left-handed reliever in our bullpen: Bae Chan-seung."

Ryu Ji-hyun (55), manager of the Korean national baseball team, made a decisive move. He decided to convert Kim Jin-wook (24, Lotte Giants) into a relief pitcher. Believing that changes were needed in a bullpen filled entirely with right-handed pitchers, he selected Kim Jin-wook as the most reliable option among them.

Manager Ryu Ji-hyun said ahead of an exhibition game against the Army (Sangmu) at Gocheok Sky Dome in Guro-gu, Seoul, on the 17th for preparation for the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games: "We plan to use Kim Jin-wook not as a starter but in relief situations, considering factors such as the opposing lineup and specific game scenarios. That is why we decided to have him pitch in the top of the 6th inning today—to observe how he performs under those assumed conditions."

There is another starting option in Oh Won-seok, but there is a clear difference in reliability. Although Oh Won-seok recorded 11 wins after being traded to KT last season, his ERA has soared to 5.92 this season. His batting average against stands at 0.298, and his WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched) is 1.52, indicating an unstable situation.

In contrast, Kim Jin-wook, nicknamed "Sakura Squall," has the same record as Oh Won-seok—six wins and eight losses—but boasts a lower batting average against of 0.250 and a WHIP of 1.33, making him more formidable. He also records more strikeouts, leading to the judgment that he holds greater value in relief roles.

Manager Ryu Ji-hyun stated: "Kim Jin-wook has quite a bit of relief experience, and among our current left-handed pitchers, I believe he is the most competitive. Using Kim Jin-wook will likely be reserved for critical situations. We determined that among our roster, only Kim Jin-wook can fulfill this role depending on the opposing lineup or specific game scenarios."

Oh Won-seok also left behind a sense of unease today. As a starter, he was hit hard by Oh Won-seok-eun (SVP) batters. He allowed four consecutive hits to Jung Hyun-seung, Jang Jae-young, Lee Yul-ye, and Park Han-gyeol, before finally catching his breath with a three-strikeout out by Lee Seung-hyun and a double play by Park Kwan-woo.

Kim Young-woo, who entered in the 2nd inning, cleanly retired all three batters he faced. However, Bae Chan-seung, the only dedicated left-handed reliever, faltered in the 3rd inning. After allowing an infield hit to Jung Hyun-seung, he gave up consecutive hits to Jang Jae-young and Lee Yul-ye, surrendering one run. A large sacrifice fly by Park Han-gyeol led to another run. He then allowed Lee Seung-hyun to reach base on an infield hit as well. After giving up a double to Park Kwan-woo, he surrendered another run.

It was unclear how long the crisis would continue, but the inning ended as scheduled. This was because the national team had previously agreed not to exceed 30 pitches per pitcher, and if that limit was reached, the inning would automatically end. This is a method often used when managing pitchers' pitch counts during spring training exhibition games.

Coincidentally, all pitchers except for the two left-handers delivered stable performances. Sung Young-tak and Jo Byung-hyun, who took the mound from the 4th inning onward, both completed their innings by retiring three consecutive batters.

Kim Jin-wook, who took the mound in the 6th inning, retired Park Han-gyeol (the Futures League home run leader with 20), Lee Seung-hyun, and Park Kwan-woo on an outfield fly to right field, a ground ball to first base, and a fly to center field, respectively. Although all three players had hit safely earlier in the game, they were unable to generate power against Kim Jin-wook's pitches.

After the game, Manager Ryu Ji-hyun said: "From the day we began assembling and calling up the national team, there was a plan to utilize him as a reliever." Regarding the struggling left-handed pitchers today, he added: "I wouldn't call it 'concern.' We need to carefully select teams that rely on power hitting. This game served as an opportunity to see how players with refined breaking pitches can be deployed effectively within our team structure. In that regard, it was a valuable live practice."

Kim Jin-wook remarked: "Since I prepared for relief roles last year as well, I feel no sense of unfamiliarity. During the season, I focus on every single pitch. My only thought is to repay this trust with good results."

In just one inning today, Kim Jin-wook threw only 10 pitches and retired all three batters cleanly. His fastball reached a top speed of 150 km/h, with seven of his ten pitches landing in the strike zone. Kim Jin-wook expressed satisfaction, saying: "It was fun and synergistic to compete against players my own age. I felt nervous and excited, but as I adjusted, I delivered good pitches."

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*This content was translated by AI.