'A save that took 163 days' Doosan Bears' Kim Tae-yeon: "Best command in three years, I want to play baseball longer this fall"

*This content was translated by AI.

Despite injuries and ups and downs, Kim Tae-yeon (21, Doosan Bears) has become even stronger after facing trials. With a new weapon added to his arsenal and increased confidence, Kim is waiting for the postseason with an even stronger desire.

In a home game against the NC Dinos at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium on the 1st, Kim entered in the top of the eighth inning with two outs and a runner on first base. He pitched 1⅓ innings without allowing a run, striking out one batter, to record his fourth save of the season.

In his rookie year, Kim pitched in 60 games and handled 65 innings. After settling into the closer role from mid-season onward, he recorded 19 saves, emerging as one of the most notable rookies in the league. However, while he posted 24 saves the following year, he also blew nine saves, indicating some inconsistency.

He started this season as the closer as well, but was away from the first division for about a month and a half due to a shoulder muscle injury early in the season. He began contributing to the bullpen again in June.

In the meantime, Lee Young-ha established himself as the closer, allowing Kim to pitch with somewhat less pressure behind him. Although he experienced some ups and downs after his return, he became even more powerful with the newly added forkball.

And on this day, when Lee Young-ha was resting, Kim entered in a save situation for the first time in a while. Choi Min-seok, tied for the lead in wins, gave up four runs in three innings and left the game, and the bullpen allowed three more runs. In a back-and-forth situation, Kim was brought in faster than expected.

With the team leading 8-7 in the top of the eighth inning with two outs, an error on defense allowed a runner to reach base. Kim Tae-yeon, who took the mound in place of Lee Byung-hun, got Kim Hui-jip to ground out to shortstop, providing some relief.

The lineup added one more run in the bottom of the eighth inning, easing the pressure. In the top of the ninth, Kim struck out Bline and Choi Jeong-won with consecutive second baseman groundouts, then recorded a three-pitch strikeout against An Jung-yeol to secure the save. It was his first save in 163 days since the game against the Lotte Giants on April 21.

Manager Kim Won-hyung said, "Although the starting pitcher left the mound early, the bullpen held them to two earned runs over six innings, laying the groundwork for a comeback." He gave a thumbs up, adding, "Among them, I want to praise Kim Tae-yeon, who shut down 1⅓ innings cleanly and recorded the save."

After the game, Kim Tae-yeon said, "I didn't go up thinking it would be very different just because it was a save situation. Since our bullpen is strong, if something happens while (Lee) Young-ha hyung rests for a day, it could become uncomfortable when such a situation arises next time. So I wanted to show that without letting it show on my face, 'our bullpen is this strong.' It's good that we shut them down well and ended the game with a positive result."

Since it was a day off for Lee Young-ha, he had prepared himself mentally to some extent. "Taku (Takada) and I were waiting the longest, but since Taku went out first, I had somewhat anticipated this," he said. "When I finished the ninth inning for the first time in a long while and heard the cheers, it was overwhelming on one hand."

He started the season with high expectations after participating in the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC), but there were injuries and changes in his role. However, Kim Tae-yeon said, "I think it is natural for a player to go where the team needs them most." He added, "Young-ha hyung pitched well during my time away due to injury, so I thought it was natural for him to pitch at the end. No matter what position I was in, I did my best to be number one in that role."

His confidence in his physical condition is sky-high. Kim Tae-yeon said, "Looking at my recent good outings, I think my command and everything else are the best they have been in three years." He revealed, "I didn't get shaken just because I gave up a hit or two. I acknowledged that the batter hit it well and thought, 'I wish I had thrown better pitches,' and 'I want to be stronger.' With that mindset, I overcame the bad moments in recent games and prepared for today's game."

Overcoming his injury well was decisive. "It was my first injury since debuting, but after coming back, I had no aftereffects. In fact, I think the biggest gain is that I have stepped up in command and other aspects compared to the past two years," Kim Tae-yeon said. He added, "Also, I started throwing more splitters this year, which has increased my strikeouts against left-handed batters and made me more comfortable."

Kim Tae-yeon, who had been close to a two-pitch repertoire of fastball and slider, became a better pitcher with the addition of the splitter. In his first season, there was a large difference in batting average against right-handed batters (0.177) and left-handed batters (0.259). This season, the difference has virtually disappeared when facing left-handed batters (0.198) and right-handed batters (0.190). Despite an early-season injury, he is performing with a record of 3 wins, 3 losses, 4 saves, and 12 holds in 51 games, pitching 52⅔ innings with an ERA of 2.73.

Kim Tae-yeon's season is not over yet. "If it were up to me, I would like to win every game and finish the season at a higher level," he said. "I think everyone on our team feels the same way." He added, "In the postseason, I think we need to pitch more desperately with the mindset that 'this is the last one' and 'we can't play baseball any more this season' in every game."

He continued, "My first experience in the fall was short, which was disappointing. This time, I have a strong desire to play baseball for a longer period." He emphasized, "Playing baseball in the fall itself is so rich in fun that my focus is set on that."

What does he feel has changed compared to when he participated in the postseason two years ago? Kim Tae-yeon said, "I think I have improved in every aspect, including mentality and managing games on the mound." He explained, "This time, my desire for the fall seems different. I have a strong thought that I want to play baseball longer."

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*This content was translated by AI.