"Success or failure and rankings will be determined."
Samsung Lions manager Park Jin-man asserted that the young bullpen will dictate the fate of the 2025 team. He specifically pointed out 19-year-old rookie left-hander Bae Chan-seung. This means that the performance of the young bullpen pitchers is critical for a challenge for the top. If the youngsters can fill the bullpen, which was identified as a weakness last season, then a comeback championship is within reach.
Samsung possesses a top-tier lineup in terms of starting rotation, offensive power, and defensive capability. Although 2024's one-two punch, Won Tae-in and Denny Reyes, will join about a week late due to injury rehab, the best starting rotation, including 2024 quality start leader Yasiel Fuera, the 7 billion won free agent Choi Won-tae, and left-hander Lee Seung-hyun, is not inferior to other teams. With the acquisitions of Fuera and Choi Won-tae, the starting rotation has become stronger. Baek Jeong-hyun and Lee Seung-hyun are on standby as the 6th and 7th starters.
If Kim Young-woong and Lee Seung-kyu are fully operational, the batting lineup will also be formidable. They aim for the team home run title this year as well. Koo Ja-wook has matured his skills to the point of challenging for another career high and the home run king title. The mix of experienced and young players, including Diaz, Park Byung-ho, and Kang Min-ho, has been well executed. The offensive capability is also in contention for the championship. Additionally, the remarkable defense is another strength of Samsung.
The key is the bullpen. Baek Jeong-hyun and Lee Seung-hyun contribute to the bullpen with multi-inning relief appearances. Oh Seung-hwan has a role assigned for the 6th inning, while Im Chang-min and Kim Jae-yoon are responsible for the 8th and 9th innings. Veterans, including Song Eun-beom, still hold important roles. Meanwhile, young pitchers like Bae Chan-seung, Yuk Seon-yeop, and Lee Ho-seong are heavily placed in the bullpen. Nevertheless, it is hard to say that the bullpen, previously viewed as a weakness, is definitively a strength. The performances of the youngsters will need to be seen when the season opens.
Perhaps for this reason, manager Park noted, "The success or failure and rankings will be determined by whether the young bullpen provides stability. How much support the young bullpen, including Lee Ho-seong, Yuk Seon-yeop, and Bae Chan-seung, can provide is crucial. Ahn Chang-seop has also joined the bullpen. Competing with each other will enhance their performance. Based on their pitching, there is hope. I am particularly looking forward to Chan-seung’s performance."
He continued, "If Chan-seung can clearly throw his pitches and overcome pressure, he could eventually end up at the back end of the bullpen. He possesses starting capabilities as well. This year, he will support the bullpen. The direction will change depending on whether he gains experience and performs in the bullpen. He tends to maintain a neutral expression. He is reserved on the mound. It feels like I'm watching Oh Seung-hwan during his rookie season." He could hardly hide his excitement, indicating he has strong confidence in potentially using him as a closer.
Bae Chan-seung, who was selected in the first round of the 2025 draft, emerged as a promising bullpen option by throwing a fearsome ball exceeding 150 kilometers per hour during the Okinawa practice camp. He participated in two exhibition games. On the 8th against SSG, he pitched one inning, allowing one hit, striking out two, and finishing without allowing any runs. In the game against Doosan on the 13th, he gave up three runs on five hits before recording two outs (strikeouts). If Bae Chan-seung can take charge of one inning, it would be a huge advantage. The manager hopes that this scenario will unfold, leading Samsung to the top.
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