'96 pitches vs. China → four days off before starting → 3 innings, 4 runs allowed': Why did Choi Min-seok insist? Doosan's complex calculations... Can they secure both the "most wins title" and a challenge for 4th place in the game against LG on the 7th?

*This content was translated by AI.

Choi Min-seok (20, Doosan Bears), who returned with a gold medal from the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, took the mound after four days of rest following a 96-pitch outing, but the worst-case scenario unfolded. Why did Doosan insist on using the Choi Min-seok card?

Choi Min-seok started the home game against the NC Dinos in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium on the 1st, throwing 60 pitches over three innings. He allowed eight hits, struck out three batters, and gave up four runs before being removed from the game.

Although the team's lineup exploded to secure a comeback victory, Choi Min-seok could not smile. After resting for four days, Choi failed to record a win and also missed the opportunity to take sole lead in the most wins category.

On the 26th of last month, Choi started the second Super Round match against China at the Asian Games, throwing 96 pitches over seven innings. He limited opponents to one run, earned the win, and advanced Korea to the final. The next day, team senior Kwak Bin delivered a stellar performance in the final against Japan, pitching 6⅓ innings with 111 pitches and allowing just one run, ultimately securing the gold medal.

Manager Kim Won-hyung announced that for the remaining regular season games, Kwak Bin would start once and Choi Min-seok twice. This decision considered that Kwak Bin played his game later in the day, the pressure of the final, and the fact that the opponent was a formidable Japan team.

Choi Min-seok also faced similar physical burdens. He had taken the mound after four days of rest following an appearance in a high-pressure national team match.

Nevertheless, Manager Kim stated, "There is no major strain on his body. However, since he came back from the Asian Games and started after only four days of rest, there could be concerns about that." He added, "But it happens once a month for pitchers to start on a Tuesday and then again on Sunday. We plan to regulate his pitch count to some extent."

Choi Min-seok himself may have been ambitious. He is currently tied for first place in wins with Im Chan-gyu. One silver lining is that the pressure regarding the postseason has been lifted. Manager Kim expressed hope, saying, "Since our position players clinched the postseason spot with a walk-off hit in the bottom of the ninth inning yesterday, I think Min-seok will approach the game with slightly less psychological burden."

However, the plan fell apart completely. In the first inning, Yang Eui-ji hit a leadoff two-run home run, giving Choi a two-run lead, but he collapsed in the third inning. After allowing a left-field single to No. 8 hitter Han Jae-hwan and a double to No. 9 hitter Oh Tae-yang, Choi struck out Kim Ju-won on a swinging strike. He then induced a shortstop grounder from Cheon Jae-hwan, trading one run for one out.

Subsequently, he allowed a one-RBI center-field single to Park Min-woo and conceded a stolen base. He then fell behind when Kim Hwi-jip hit a left-field single. Choi also allowed Kim Hwi-jip to steal second base and gave up his fourth run on an hit by Blaine Crim.

After allowing a single to Go Jun-hwi, Choi struck out An Jung-yeol to end the inning. However, Manager Kim Won-hyung did not push Choi, who had already thrown 60 pitches, and replaced him starting from the fourth inning.

Was it because he had not fully recovered his condition? He faced more balls in the strike zone than usual, and particularly collapsed after allowing six hits in the third inning alone. It was painful that two stolen bases were allowed and both led to runs.

Although it ultimately resulted in failure, the reason for starting Choi Min-seok on this day was clear. Doosan is preparing for the Wild Card playoff series, and Kwak Bin's start in Game 1, scheduled for the 14th, has become a foregone conclusion. For Game 2 on the 15th, either Wes Benjamin or Choi Min-seok is expected to take the mound.

Considering a start in Game 2, he cannot pitch in the final game against the Lotte Giants on the 12th. The game immediately preceding that is against the LG Twins on the 7th, meaning he had to start on that day to be able to pitch after five days of rest. Benjamin pitched in the NC game on the 30th of last month and can follow a schedule of pitching against the Lotte Giants on the 6th after five days of rest.

Had they secured a win on this day, Choi would have taken sole lead in wins and could also have narrowed the gap with 4th-place KIA Tigers, but the former failed. Despite leaving with an unsatisfactory result of three innings and four runs allowed, the team won, so it might have been better to rest Choi Min-seok, but that is merely hindsight.

Viewed from a different perspective, it is a reasonable decision. Both Choi Min-seok and Manager Kim Won-hyung held the stance that decisions for the team were more important than challenging for the most wins title. Although they had secured a postseason berth, Choi Min-seok had no choice but to pitch in order to challenge for 4th place until the end. Although he struggled on this day, he was removed after throwing only 60 pitches and has had five days of rest, allowing him to fully recover his stamina for the LG game. They can aim for both the late-season standings battle and the most wins title.

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*This content was translated by AI.