He is a 27-year-old free agent for pitchers. He even won nine games this year. But he is not worried that his team will lose to other teams. The team is calm. He is watching calmly.
This is the view of the LG Twins looking at Choi Won-tae of the FA.
In the 2025 FA market, LG’s internal FA is Choi Won-tae only. It is simple. LG, which has little intention of catching external FA, only has to focus on Choi Won-tae.
Choi Won-tae pitched 126 ⅔ innings in 24 games this season, recording 9 wins, 7 losses and a 4.26 ERA.
Among Korean pitchers, he ranked 11th in innings and tied for 10th with multiple wins. Although he failed to meet the required innings due to injury, he ranked seventh among Korean pitchers who pitched more than 100 innings, following Samsung’s Won Tae-in (3.66), LG’s Son Joo-young (3.79), Lim Chan-kyu (3.83), Hanwha’s Ryu Hyun-jin (3.87), KIA’s Yang Hyeon-jong (4.10) and Doosan’s Kwak Bin (4.24).
Born in 1997, he is turning 27 this year. He will turn 28 next year, his first year as a free agent. He is not in his prime yet. If he manages his body and maintains skills, he is old enough to serve as a free agent three to four times.
However, he was disappointed in the big game. He started in Game 3 of the semi-playoff against the KT Wiz, but allowed five hits, one walk, four strikeouts and three runs (two earned runs) during two ⅔ innings, before being replaced by Son Joo-young. In the first game of the playoffs against the Samsung Lions, he became a losing pitcher by allowing seven hits (two homers) and three strikeouts and five runs during three innings. Had he been to Game 5 of the playoffs, he could have had a chance to recover his reputation, but he was eliminated in Game 4 by losing 0 to 1. As Choi suffered humiliation in Game 2 of the Korean Series last year by allowing only one out count and allowing four runs, he failed to overcome his weakness of being weak in big games this season as well, and is now facing the FA market.
His weakness of being weak in big games can be a bit reluctant to win a title. However, Choi is definitely an attractive pitcher for a team that needs to go to the postseason and a team that is weak in starting players. He will turn 28 next year and have a lot of experience.
LG, which seeks to win the title next season, needs a starting pitcher like Choi Won-tae. If Choi Won-tae remains, it will have the advantage of making five starters work for sure. LG was able to advance to the postseason by ranking third even with a difficult bullpen this year because five starters pitched stably.
However, LG does not want to be dragged around by Choi Won-tae.
As the four starters are solid, the team believes it can nurture the five starters even if it loses Choi to another team. LG has Lim Chan-kyu, who became the ace of the team this season, and Son Joo-young, who has grown to become a left-handed starter. Adding two foreign starters will reliably secure four starters.
There is also an advantage that raising a selection among prospects can increase the skills of prospects as competition among players arises.
Even if there is no suitable selection like this year, Lee Jung-yong, who left for Sangmu after switching to a starter in the second half of last year, will be discharged from the military and return in June next year, which can be a boost to the starting lineup.
Also, it is not bad to get a reward if Choi moves. Choi is in Grade A, which only has three of the 20 free agents. If Choi moves, LG will receive 800 million won (890,000 U.S. dollars), which is 200 percent of its previous salary (400 million won) with one player excluding 20 protected players, according to the Class A compensation rule, or if Choi does not receive a reward player, LG will only receive 1.2 billion won (1.5 million dollars), which is 300 percent of its previous salary.
Of course, LG wants compensation players. Excluding 20 players means that a team player or promising player can be selected. Any position can bring good players.
Consequently, it is not a bad business for LG whether Choi remains or leaves. Therefore, he can take the lead and lead the negotiations. What will happen to Choi’s first FA result. 스포츠토토
