After sitting comfortably in first place, the LG Twins found themselves in a quandary heading into September. The gap between the two teams had narrowed more than expected, thanks to a strong charge from KT Wiz, who had climbed to second place.
LG, which had been in a four-way tie with SSG at the start of the season, widened the gap with SSG as time went on, and spurred its win rate to a solo run. After reaching 40 wins, then 50, they were the first to reach the 60-win plateau and cruised to their first Korean Series appearance in 21 years.
However, LG dropped back-to-back three-game series against the NC Dinos on the 25th and 27th, while KT swept a three-game series against the Lotte Giants in the same period. The two teams are currently separated by 4.5 games, a situation that will only get worse if the losing streak continues.
We’ve also got an injury. LG’s foreign pitcher Adam Plutko was diagnosed with a left pelvic bone contusion and was removed from the roster. He’s expected to take four to five weeks to return. This is somewhat disappointing news for LG, who seemed to be putting the final pieces of the puzzle together with the addition of trade acquisition Choi Won-tae.
Another notable announcement on the day was that lefty Seung-jo Ham Deok-ju, who has seen as much action on the mound as Plutko, was transferred to the second team. Unlike Plutko, he is in good physical condition, but LG manager Yeom Kyung-yeop explained that he is taking a break because he is worried about accumulating fatigue.
Speaking to reporters before the decision to cancel the game, Yeom said, “Ham Deok-ju threw a lot of innings for the first time in a long time, so his recovery after throwing is a little slow. In this case, it would be better to rest for about 10 days for the next game, so we canceled it as a precaution. “The next game is more important,” he said.
This season, Ham has pitched well, going 4-0 with a 1.62 ERA in 57 games and 55⅔ innings with 16 saves, but he has often allowed runs in his last four games, including the last game against the Incheon SSG Landers on April 18. Manager Yeom Kyung-yup said, “He hasn’t been pitching well lately. I think it’s a sign, and it shows that he’s not 100% yet. In a situation where we have to keep fighting, it can be damaging.”먹튀검증
In particular, LG will be without Go Woo-seok, Jung Woo-young, and Moon Bo-kyung for the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, leaving a gap in the bullpen. Ham Deok-ju is one of the pitchers who can fill in for Go Woo-seok, if not as a “closer,” then as a backup.
“We need him then, too, and the remaining 30 games are much more important than the six games now. I think we have a good chance of winning there.” .