'Not Park Young-hyun or Jo Byung-hyun' ERA 4.19, Choi Jun-yong deployed in tiebreaker situation → 'No runners on first and second, scoreless inning'... Ryu Ji-hyun's gamble paid off

*This content was translated by AI.

The final rehearsal ahead of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games concluded with a decisive choice: the pitcher tasked with closing out the game was not KBO League's top closers Park Young-hyun (23, KT Wiz) or Jo Byung-hyun (24, SSG Landers), but Choi Jun-yong (25, Lotte Giants).

The result was a resounding success. On the 17th at Seoul Gocheok Sky Dome, during the tiebreaker situation in the top of the eighth inning while the team trailed 3-6 against the Army team in the Asian Games preparatory match, Choi Jun-yong entered to finish the scoreless inning. The team then came back for a victory, making him the winning pitcher.

Choi Jun-yong has served as Lotte's closer this season, recording 4 wins, 3 losses, 15 saves, and 9 holds in 55 games with an ERA of 4.19. However, his batting average against of 0.264 and WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched) of 1.47 fall short when compared to other closers like Park Young-hyun (KT) and Jo Byung-hyun (SSG), who are on the same level.

Moreover, this game was planned with eight pitchers each responsible for one inning. In that context, deploying Choi Jun-yong in the eighth inning during a tiebreaker situation instead of Park Young-hyun or Jo Byung-hyun felt somewhat surprising.

Choi Jun-yong was not selected as the primary closer. Rather, it reflected a firm belief that further testing of Park Young-hyun and Jo Byung-hyun was no longer necessary; both had pitched cleanly in the seventh and fifth innings respectively. The decision to use Choi Jun-yong was aimed at giving him experience in a special situation.

Head coach Ryu Ji-hyun stated, "When reviewing the middle relievers, I thought Jo Byung-hyun, Park Young-hyun, and Choi Jun-yong were the most likely candidates for tiebreaker situations. However, I believed it would be better for Jo Byung-hyun and Park Young-hyun to maintain their condition more comfortably. Among the three players, I felt Choi Jun-yong needed the most preparation."

Although the team trailed 3-6, as originally planned, the eighth inning proceeded with a tiebreaker situation with no runners on first and second base. The Army team sent its leadoff batters to the plate with two runners on base. Leadoff hitter Jung Hyun-seung and second batter Jang Jae-young had been hitting well enough to hit multiple hits earlier in the game, but both bowed their heads before Choi Jun-yong.

Jung Hyun-seung attempted a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners, but the ball rose high off Choi Jun-yong's powerful fastball and was caught by catcher Kim Geon-hee. Catching his breath, Choi Jun-yong then overpowered Jang Jae-young with pure velocity, inducing a pop fly to first base. Lee Yu-ye was struck out, allowing the team to escape the scoreless situation. His fastest pitch reached 150 km/h, and he retired the side on just nine pitches, eight of which were strikes within the strike zone.

The offense responded immediately. The national team batted three hits in the bottom of the eighth inning alone, scoring four runs to secure a walk-off victory.

A smile spread across Head Coach Ryu Ji-hyun's face. Choi Jun-yong's card had hit the mark perfectly. Ryu said, "Choi Jun-yong's strength lies in his deception. Batters perceive him as faster than he actually appears. That perception can cause batters to lift the ball when attempting a sacrifice bunt. We confirmed that capability, and it was excellent that he held off the pressure with no runners on first and second to keep the scoreless inning intact, then capitalized on the subsequent opportunity."

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*This content was translated by AI.