"I couldn't get 34 saves? That makes me feel good." Kim Jae-yoon, having surpassed his limits, now revises his goal to '40 saves'

*This content was translated by AI.

"I couldn't get 34 saves? I thought that was it. That makes me feel good. It feels great."

It felt like receiving an unexpected gift. Kim Jae-yoon (36, Samsung Lions), who shattered his own single-season record for most saves, smiled broadly as if for the first time in a while.

On the 24th at Incheon SSG Landers Field during an away game against SSG Landers in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League, Kim Jae-yoon entered in the bottom of the 8th with two outs and threw 31 pitches over 1⅓ innings, allowing three hits, no walks, striking out one, and giving up one unearned run while securing the team's victory.

With 34 saves (7 wins, 5 losses) for the season, Kim Jae-yoon has broken his previous single-season record of 33 saves set in 2022 when he finished second in saves. He has now extended his lead over second-place reliever Son Ju-young (LG, 30 saves) by four saves and is firmly on track to claim the saves title.

As the race for standings nears its climax, Kim Jae-yoon continues to appear in high-pressure situations. After recording a save over 1⅔ innings against NC Dinos on the 22nd, he again entered with two outs in the 8th inning today.

With his team leading 5-0, SSG Landers narrowed the gap to 5-2 and then 5-3. Kim Jae-yoon entered the mound with two outs in the 8th inning and runners on first and third. Facing fourth batter Kim Jae-hwan, he consistently threw outside fastballs to build the count before inducing an infield pop fly with a high fastball to end the inning.

In the top of the 9th, the batting lineup failed to capitalize on a bases-loaded opportunity with two outs. In the bottom of the 9th, SSG Landers regained momentum. Kim Jae-yoon retired Go Myeong-jun with a fly ball to center field but allowed consecutive hits to Jeon Ui-san and Ahn Sang-hyun. He struck out Lee Ji-young looking but induced a ground ball to the second baseman from Oh Tae-gon; although second baseman Kim Sang-jun made a diving stop, his throw went wide, allowing SSG Landers to tie the game with another run.

With the score at 5-4 and two outs with runners on first and second, a single could have tied the game. Facing Park Sung-han, known for his fierce hitting among SSG Landers batters, Kim Jae-yoon engaged in an outside-pitch battle before inducing a ground ball to the second baseman to end the game.

After the victory, Kim Jae-yoon appeared not entirely satisfied when interviewed. "Honestly, I felt a bit disappointed," he said. "I knew I would be called upon in such situations and prepared accordingly, but I had a slight sense of urgency. I tried to attack aggressively even in the 9th, and although there were ground ball hits that nearly unsettled me, it all worked out well."

With back-to-back multi-inning saves, Kim Jae-yoon's burden as the season's closer is growing heavier. "Even with multi-inning saves, there are only a few games left now, and I'll have more rest periods in between, so it's fine. I'm resting well, so there's no problem," he explained.

When asked about his feelings after achieving a personal record for most saves, Kim Jae-yoon said, "Of course, breaking my own record makes me feel good. Batters have been hitting well all year, giving me more opportunities, and since it's also a record I want to break myself, and the more saves I get, the more the team wins, I wanted to try to surpass it."

When told that he had already broken his personal record while speaking in a forward-looking manner, Kim Jae-yoon finally broke into a bright smile. "Really? I couldn't get 34 saves? Why did I think that?" he said. "It feels great. It feels good. Somehow, unexpectedly, I feel even better."

Samsung Lions trail the first-place KT Wiz by three games. With three head-to-head matchups remaining at the end of the season, they still believe they can turn things around. Given this, Kim Jae-yoon cannot help but want more saves, which are synonymous with team victories. "I'd like to go all the way if possible," he said. "The batters are working harder, and since I've already broken my record, I want to get even more. I haven't set a specific target, but I'll aim for 40."

Kim Jae-yoon is closely following the results of KT, his former team. "They won today too. They're really good. They seem like a strong and amazing team," he said. "Even if things don't go well, we should hold onto second place. Of course, we're aiming for first, but we need to give our best in every single game. No one knows the final results yet," he added, not hiding his desire for a dramatic late-season turnaround.

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*This content was translated by AI.