'Switching to starter' Won Tae-in, set to pitch in Game 5 instead of Game 4! Park Jin-man: "Game 4 starter undecided → Will assess bullpen situation today (the 6th)" [KS3 On-site]

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The Samsung Lions' "Ace with Blue Blood," Won Tae-in (26), is set to take the mound as the starting pitcher in Game 5 of the Korea Series. The starter for Game 4, which had been a major point of interest, is expected to be finalized after observing the bullpen usage in Game 3.

Samsung Manager Park Jin-man officially revealed his plans for future pitching rotation and starting lineup ahead of the Game 3 matchup against KT Wiz at Daegu Samsung Lions Park on the 6th.

On this day, Manager Park stated during a meeting with reporters, "The players not traveling for Game 3 are Chris Fiddick and Won Tae-in." He added, "Won Tae-in has been waiting in the bullpen since the playoffs, which puts some physical strain on him. He will be preparing as a starter today, and he should be able to start in Game 5." He further explained, "Even if he had been on today's travel list, he would not have been able to pitch, so we simply excluded him from the travel roster entirely."

The key factor behind Won Tae-in's potential return to the starting rotation is cited as the outstanding performance of left-handed reliever Bae Chan-seung. Bae secured a save in Game 2 of the Korea Series held at Suwon KT Wiz Park on the 4th, taking charge of the late innings. Manager Park Jin-man said, "Because we have (Bae) Chan-seung, I think we can move Won Tae-in back to the rotation." He explained, "Chan-seung has performed exceptionally well in the postseason, allowing us to utilize Won Tae-in again as a starting card." It is interpreted that Bae's stability in the bullpen has eased pressure on restructuring the starting staff.

However, the starting pitcher for Game 4 of the Korea Series, scheduled for the 7th, remains uncertain. When asked about the Game 4 starter, Manager Park said, "The starting pitcher for tomorrow will likely be decided based on how we use the bullpen today," showing a cautious attitude by stating he would decide after observing the pitching strategy in Game 3, which is expected to be an all-out battle.

After returning home with a 1-1 record from the road Games 1 and 2 in Suwon, Samsung deployed "Playoffs MVP" Ariel Hurdado as the starter for Game 3 on this day. The lineup consists of Kim Ji-chan (center fielder) - Kim Seong-yoon (right fielder) - Koo Ja-wook (designated hitter) - Choi Hyung-woo (left fielder) - Diaz (first baseman) - Kim Young-woong (third baseman) - Lee Jae-hyun (shortstop) - Ryu Ji-hyuk (second baseman) - Kang Min-ho (catcher), aiming for a winning streak.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original