"Who will be the starting pitcher for the first Wild Card game..." Doosan Bears, saving Kwak Bin in advance: "Choi Min-seok or Benjamin?" Nothing has been decided yet for Game 2 [Jamsil On-Site]

*This content was translated by AI.

They have secured a spot in the postseason. Although the final standings have not yet been determined, it is time to begin preparing for the fall baseball season. Even if they miraculously climb to fourth place, they cannot avoid the Wild Card (WC) series. The strategy for starting pitchers has become crucial.

Doosan Bears manager Kim Won-hyung (54) met with reporters ahead of the home game against the NC Dinos at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Songpa-gu, Seoul on the 1st, stating, "I think we will move forward with a fairly set plan for the starting pitcher in the first Wild Card game."

Doosan secured its postseason berth by defeating NC on the 30th of last month. They are three games behind fourth-place KIA Tigers, making fifth place the most likely outcome. Even if they rise to fourth place, they would still have to play a WC deciding game. The team's stance is to focus on the WC and give its best effort for the remainder of the season.

Whether in fourth or fifth place, the importance of the ace starter in the WC is greater than imagined. In the WC series, where the fourth-place team starts with a one-game lead, the fourth-place team must end it with just one win, while the fifth-place team must absolutely win Game 1 to have any hope for Game 2.

Although Manager Kim Won-hyung did not explicitly name him, Kwak Bin (27), the league's best pitcher this season, is confirmed as the Game 1 starter. Kwak Bin has established himself as an elite pitcher, recording 11 wins and 7 losses with a 2.26 ERA in 155 innings across 26 games this season. He boasts remarkable stability with a whopping 19 quality starts (at least six innings pitched, no more than three earned runs allowed). His batting average against is .218, and his walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP) is 1.06, placing him at the top in all statistical categories. He also leads the league with 186 strikeouts, alongside his ERA ranking.

If the opponent is KIA, the dilemma disappears even more. Kwak Bin dominated in three games against KIA this season, pitching 19 innings to record a 2-1 record and a 0.95 ERA. The first WC game is scheduled for the 14th, and considering the rotation, Kwak Bin is expected to make one start before then.

The issue lies with the second starter. If they finish in fifth place, they must win two games in the WC, making the second starter very important. Statistically, Choi Min-seok (20) holds the advantage. Despite being in his second year, Choi Min-seok has secured 14 wins (and 4 losses) based on stable game management, tying for the league lead in wins. In two games against KIA, he pitched 13 innings, allowing only three runs to record a 2-0 record and a 2.08 ERA.

Wes Benjamin (33) could also take the mound. Given that he is a left-hander, a strategic choice might be made. Benjamin, who joined mid-season, played a key role in building a powerful starting rotation by recording 8 wins and 7 losses with a 2.42 ERA in 23 games, supporting Kwak Bin and Choi Min-seok. Although he took two losses in his two games against KIA, he held up well, allowing four earned runs (six total runs) and striking out 11 batters over 12 innings.

Of course, the opponent is not necessarily guaranteed to be KIA. Manager Kim said, "While we have secured a postseason spot, we do not know what situations may arise depending on our performance, so we must run the rotation normally," adding, "If we have to play Game 2, a good player will take the mound according to the order and tailored to the opposing team."

Choi Seung-yong and Jack Logan are moving to the bullpen to prepare for any contingency. Manager Kim explained, "The non-starting players will inevitably become two starting pitchers. In that case, we are preparing about three players as the day-of starters and relievers, as we do not know what situations may unfold."

Choi Min-seok, who returned with a gold medal from the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, will take the mound as the starting pitcher today. While Kwak Bin previously stated he would pitch only once in the remaining schedule, Choi Min-seok pitched seven innings against China in the Super Round on the 26th and is taking the mound after a four-day rest.

The schedule may be somewhat demanding, but Manager Kim said, "There is no major strain on his body. However, he is pitching after returning from the Asian Games with only four days of rest, which could be a concern." He added, "But there are cases where a player pitches on a Tuesday and then again on a Sunday once a month. We plan to regulate his pitch count to some extent."

Personally, this is also an important opportunity to challenge for the batting title in wins. Manager Kim expressed hope, saying, "Since our position players clinched the postseason with a walk-off hit in the bottom of the ninth inning yesterday, I think Min-seok will approach the game with somewhat less psychological burden."

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*This content was translated by AI.