LG Twins manager Yeom Kyung-yeop discussed the return of Jang Hyun-sik (30) and plans for closing pitchers in the early part of the season.

After finishing the first spring camp held in Arizona, USA, Yeom Kyung-yeop returned through Incheon International Airport on the 23rd. The LG team is scheduled to depart for Okinawa, Japan, where the second camp will be held on the 24th.

“The first camp was generally good,” Yeom Kyung-yeop said, adding, “Other than Jang Hyun-sik, there weren’t any major injured players. Veterans like Park Hae-min, Oh Ji-hwan, and Kim Hyun-soo, who struggled last year, have been able to reclaim the parts where they performed well, so I have high expectations for this season.”

Emphasizing that “the most important goal is to win,” Yeom Kyung-yeop noted, “There is a goal to challenge for the championship for the fans, the club, and the players. The first important part is how well the main players are prepared and how well they perform their roles. Therefore, even before leaving for camp, we had meetings with the coaching staff. We have been preparing since the end of last season, so we will have to see how it goes in games, but I think we have prepared well.”

LG has formed a one-two punch with new foreign pitcher Yoni Chirinos and Eliezer Hernandez, who left a strong impression during last year's postseason. Yeom Kyung-yeop stated, “Chirinos looks good. The movement of his pitches is excellent, and his control seems to be much better than what I saw on video. His velocity seems to reach up to 150 km/h, and I believe he can win around 15 games. I feel better about our two foreign pitchers compared to last year. It feels like this year's pitchers are stronger than Kelly and Ens last year.”

It is unfortunate that Jang Hyun-sik was injured and left the spring camp. Jang, who has recorded 32 wins, 36 losses, 91 holds, and 7 saves in 437 games (592 innings) in the KBO League with an earned run average of 4.91, gained free agent status this winter and signed a contract with LG for a total of 5.2 billion won.

Jang Hyun-sik, who returned early to Korea on the 19th after being injured at the Arizona camp, has been diagnosed with a partial ligament tear on his foot, requiring a four-week recovery period. However, Yeom Kyung-yeop remarked, “The extent of the injury is less than I expected. If all goes well, he might join for the opening match. Still, I don’t plan to rush his return.”

“What’s important about Jang Hyun-sik is not just coming back but performing well once he returns,” Yeom Kyung-yeop emphasized. “We need to see if he is in perfect shape. With the current schedule, we will prepare in the training department to align with the opening match.” He continued, “If he pitches in exhibition games, he could return for the opening match. If he doesn’t pitch in exhibition games, it could be delayed by about 10 days for the season opening.”

Yeom Kyung-yeop announced that he will use rookie right-handed pitcher Kim Young-woo as a temporary closer while Jang Hyun-sik recovers from his injury. Kim Young-woo, selected in the first round (10th pick) of the 2025 rookie draft, is an attractive pitcher with a fastball reaching the upper 150 km/h range.

“Didn’t Kim Tae-kyun (Doosan) perform well last year?” Yeom Kyung-yeop said. “I plan to try out Young-woo in the exhibition games. He has great growth potential and mental toughness. How he experiences success at the beginning is important.” He added, “It’s not a big challenge. If he fails once, he can step back.”

[OSEN=인천공항, 길준영 기자]