The LG Twins succeeded in reinforcing the bullpen, which was pointed out as a weakness.
LG, which achieved the feat of winning the combined title for the third time in 29 years in the 2023 season (1990, 1994, 2023), had to accept the report card of the final third place in the 2024 season. During the regular season, he had several opportunities to take the lead, but failed to achieve this due to unstable bullpen.
Even before the season’s opening, he noticed signs of anxiety. Ko Woo-suk (players entering the U.S.), Lee Jung-yong (military enlistment), and Ham Deok-ju (surgery) were absent in succession. On their behalf, new closing players Yoo Young-chan (seven wins, five losses, 26 saves, ERA of one hold, 2.97), and veteran Kim Jin-sung (three wins, three losses, 27 saves, ERA of 3.97) competed, but they lacked strength. LG’s bullpen averaged 5.21 ERA this season.
As a result, LG’s goal for this off-season was clear. Having been busy, LG eventually succeeded in solving some of its tasks of reinforcing the bullpen. It started with recruiting Jang Hyun-sik, which it announced on March 11. Despite fierce competition, the team signed a four-year contract of 5.2 billion won (1.6 billion won in down payment and 3.6 billion won in annual salary). It was an extraordinary condition that the team guarantee the full amount without any options.
Jang Hyun-sik, who was called by the NC Dinos as the 9th overall in the first round in 2013, is a right-handed pitcher who played for the KIA Tigers from 2020 to this year. Heavy fastballs and sharp sliders are considered strengths, and he has written 32 wins, 36 losses, seven saves, and a 4.91 ERA in 437 games (592 innings).
He also showed excellent performance this season. Playing in 75 games (75.1 innings), Jang marked five wins, four losses and 16 holds with an ERA of 3.94 and contributed to Kia’s V12.
Although right-hander Kang Hyo-jong was given up to KIA as a reward player, Jang Hyun-sik is certainly a player who can greatly contribute to LG’s bullpen. LG manager Yeom Kyung-yeop recently expressed his intention to use Jang Hyun-sik for the position when the previous closer Yoo Young-chan underwent surgery to remove the bone gap in his right elbow.
LG continued to collect resources for the bullpen. Ham Deok-joo underwent elbow surgery in November, and when news of Yoo Young-chan’s injury was reported, he entered the race to recruit Kim Kang-ryul. LG eventually joined hands with Kim Kang-ryul for up to 1.4 billion won (down payment of 500 million won, annual salary of 900 million won) for three plus one year.
Kim Kang-ryul, who was drafted by the Doosan Bears as the 26th pick in the second round of the fourth round in 2007, is a right-handed pitcher who has been active only in Doosan until this season. He posted an ERA of 3.81 with 26 wins, 14 losses, 46 saves and 56 holds in 448 games (476.2 innings) in his professional career, and also showed his presence in 53 games (42 innings) this season with 2 wins, 2 losses, 1 save, 12 holds, and an ERA of 3.00.
Kim Kang-ryul said, “We thank the LG club for signing the contract on good terms. It was not easy to decide to move the team that I had been in for a long time, but now we have to do our best to protect LG’s victory,” and vowed, “We will try to win any position and prepare well to repay the team with good results.” 메이저놀이터
In addition, LG embraced Choi Chae-heung. Choi was named as a compensation player for Choi, who transferred to the Samsung Lions through an FA. Choi was in FA A grade. Under the regulations, LG was able to receive one in addition to 20 protected players from Samsung and 200 percent (800 million won) of Choi’s annual salary from the previous year. After much consideration, LG chose Choi.
Choi Chae-heung, a graduate of Daegu Sangwon High School and Hanyang University, is a left-handed pitcher who wore the Samsung uniform as the first designated pitcher in 2018. In 117 games (486.1 innings), he recorded 27 wins, 29 losses and 5 holds with an ERA of 4.59. In the 2020 season, he played in 26 games (146 innings), recording 11 wins, 6 losses and an ERA of 3.58, keeping a solid spot in the starting lineup.
Although he has slowed down in 2023 (1-7, 6.68 ERA) and 2024 (1-hold 6.30 ERA), Choi Chae-heung, who is capable of both starting and bullpen, is certainly an attractive resource. When announcing Choi Chae-heung’s recruitment, LG said, “He has enough potential, and he proved his ability by winning 11 games as a starting pitcher in 2020,” adding, “I expect to find his career high in 2020.”
While LG yielded the right-handed starters Kang Hyo-jong and Choi Won-tae to KIA and Samsung, respectively, in this Stove League, the team also embraced Jang Hyun-sik, Kim Kang-ryul and Choi Chae-heung. Also, recruitment of right-handed sidearm Shim Chang-min, who posted a career-high 31 wins, 29 losses, 51 saves, 80 holds, and an ERA of 4.22, at Samsung and NC is uncertain. As LG has solved its task of strengthening its bullpen, attention is focusing on whether it will be able to seek the presidency again in the 2025 season.
