The 2025 professional baseball Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) league will finally kick off on the 22nd.

The opening matches will take place in Jamsil (Lotte-LG), Suwon (KT-Hanwha), Munhak (Doosan-SSG), Daegu (Kiwoom-Samsung), and Gwangju (NC-KIA), featuring a total of five matches. The KBO revealed the opening roster of 280 players across 10 teams on the 21st.

The LG Twins will face Lotte in the opening match at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on the 22nd. LG has announced that new foreign pitcher Yoni Chirinos will start, while Lotte's left-hander Charlie Barnes is expected to be the starting pitcher.

LG will start the opening match without a closer. Jang Hyun-sik, who was acquired last November under a four-year aggregate contract worth 5.2 billion won, is recovering from an ankle injury but has yet to show normal pitching form and will begin the season in the minor leagues.

On the 20th, Jang Hyun-sik pitched as a relief pitcher in a game against the 2025 Futures League SSG Landers at the SSG Futures Field in Ganghwa, recording 1 inning with 2 hits allowed, 1 home run, and 2 earned runs. In his first game back, his fastball reached a maximum speed of 142 kilometers per hour and averaged 140 kilometers per hour.

Manager Yeom Kyung-yeop said, "Jang Hyun-sik needs to improve his speed. He will likely need to pitch in the minor leagues for about a week. He will pitch in approximately four games. He will pitch in a practice game on the 22nd, rest for a day, and then pitch again. If his speed increases, I am considering bringing him up to the first team as soon as possible on Sunday (March 30) or the following week (April 1)."

LG included 13 pitchers in its opening roster. The starting pitchers are Chirinos, Son Joo-young, and Hernandez, along with bullpen pitchers Kim Jin-sung, Kim Kang-ryul, Baek Seung-hyun, Park Myung-geun, Lee Ji-kang, Woo Kang-hoon, Lee Woo-chan, Kim Yoo-young, Bae Jae-jun, and Kim Young-woo.

Kim Jin-sung, Kim Kang-ryul, Baek Seung-hyun, and Park Myung-geun will handle the closing duties as a collective unit. Lee Ji-kang will serve as a long relief pitcher, with left-handed pitchers Lee Woo-chan and Kim Yoo-young. Rookie Kim Young-woo, who throws a fastball of 150 kilometers per hour, and Woo Kang-hoon, who throws a fastball of 150 kilometers per hour as a sidearm pitcher, will gain experience with victories.

Bae Jae-jun, who had not appeared in any first team exhibition games, has been included in the opening roster. Bae made only one appearance in 2023 (1 inning, 2 earned runs), and last year he was not registered even for a day in the first team roster and only played in the Futures League. Last year, he pitched as a relief pitcher in the minor leagues, appearing in 39 games (39⅔ innings) with a record of 3 wins, 1 loss, 1 save, and 6 holds, with an earned run average of 3.86.

Bae Jae-jun recorded 2 earned runs (unearned) in 2 games spanning 2⅔ innings in the minor leagues this year. In a game against SSG's minor league team on the 20th, he came in during a crisis with 1 out and runners on 1st and 2nd base in the eighth inning, recording no earned runs in two ground balls and a fly out in ⅔ inning. Although one inherited runner scored due to an error by the second baseman, his fastball speed was good at 146-147 kilometers per hour.

Catchers Park Dong-won and Lee Joo-heon, along with infielders Austin, Shin Min-jae, Oh Ji-hwan, Moon Bo-kyung, Koo Bon-hyuk, and Moon Jung-bin were included in the roster. The outfield features Kim Hyun-soo, Hong Chang-ki, Park Hae-min, Moon Sung-joo, Song Chan-hee, Choi Won-young, and Choi Seung-min.

Because Lotte's starting pitcher Barnes is a left-hander, right-hander Song Chan-hee was notified early that he would get the opportunity to start in left field. Backup left-handed infielder Lee Young-bin did not make the roster, and right-handed infielder Moon Jung-bin took his place. Moon Sung-joo, who has recovered from a back injury, will likely be able to play outfield defense about a week after the season starts.

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