"Huh?" With second place already locked in, why is Huarado pitching against KT on the 11th? Manager Park Jin-man directly reveals the reason for his appearance

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

The Samsung Lions have secured second place and earned a direct ticket to the playoffs well in advance, regardless of the results of their remaining regular season games. Although they unfortunately fell out of the race for the regular season championship, with the standings battle concluded, it appeared likely that key starting pitchers would receive rest and workload management. However, "foreign ace" Ariel Huarado (30) is set to take the mound as the starter against the Daegu KT Wiz on the 11th.

What is the reason for deliberately deploying the ace card with autumn baseball just around the corner? Moreover, KT is a potential opponent that could threaten Samsung in the postseason.

Ahead of the match against the SSG Landers at Incheon SSG Landers Field on the 9th, Manager Park Jin-man met with reporters and revealed that Huarado had been designated as the starter for the 11th, explaining, "With about two weeks remaining until the playoffs, it is necessary to maintain game feel," adding, "Since (Huarado) took a break of about six weeks in between, he is physically in good condition."

In addition, the player's strong determination played a decisive role. Manager Park Jin-man added, "Huarado has personal goals regarding his statistics, and his will to pitch directly on the mound was also very strong."

Plans to check the condition of the other foreign pitcher, Chris Fiddick (30), were also revealed. Manager Park stated, "Fiddick is currently in a physical state where he can pitch." In fact, Fiddick made a relief appearance in the sixth inning against SSG on the 9th, recording three innings pitched, three hits allowed, two strikeouts, and one run allowed. His maximum velocity remained at 149 km/h. Compared to his peak of 152 km/h in September before suffering from hiccups, this was somewhat lower, but it is interpreted as a condition check focused on refining his command ahead of autumn baseball rather than throwing with full power.

The blueprint for the autumn baseball mound is gradually taking shape. Manager Park designated Huarado, Fiddick, Won Tae-in, and Choi Won-tae as the four-man starting rotation for the playoffs, stating firmly, "The pitching order will be determined by prioritizing our pitchers' condition and physical state on the day over matchups with the opposing team."

Meanwhile, following Huarado's start on the 11th, Samsung is set to deploy a "Bullpen Day," mobilizing all bullpen resources for their final regular season game on the 12th, as they begin preparations for the playoffs.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original