Doosan Bears will try to prevent a sweep in the season's first "Jamsil rivalry" with the LG Twins.
Doosan will play the final game of the three-game series with LG at Jamsil Stadium on the 26th. Doosan lost two consecutive days on the 24th and 25th. The loss on the 25th was a heavy blow. Doosan led 5-3, but in the ninth inning, Lee Byung-hun, who came in as the interim closer, failed to protect the two-run lead and they suffered a 5-7 come-from-behind loss.
Closer Kim Taek-yeon felt shoulder pain while warming up in the bullpen on the 24th, and a test on the 25th revealed a supraspinatus strain. He will rest and be reexamined in three weeks. In the end, they could not cover the gap left by Kim Taek-yeon's injury and suffered the come-from-behind loss.
Doosan will start on the 26th with Park Chan-ho (shortstop), Cameron (right fielder), Park Jun-sun (second base), Yang Eui-ji (designated hitter), Yang Seok-hwan (first base), Lee Yu-chan (left fielder), Lim Jong-seong (third base), Yoon Jun-ho (catcher), and Jung Soo-bin (center fielder) in the starting lineup.
Son Ah-seop, acquired in a trade from Hanwha, was excluded from the starting lineup. Son Ah-seop's season stats are a .118 batting average in 10 games (34 at-bats, 4 hits), 1 home run, 4 RBIs, 5 runs scored, OPS .440. In the two games on the 24th and 25th, he went 0-for-7 with 1 walk and 1 sacrifice fly. Except for the one sacrifice fly, all balls in play failed to get past the infield. They were almost all grounders.
Doosan's starting pitcher is Benjamin. He played for the KT Wiz from 2022 to 2024. With ace Flexen sidelined by a shoulder injury, he was signed as an injury replacement. Benjamin made his Doosan debut in the game against Lotte on the 21st, pitching 4 2/3 scoreless innings.
Benjamin was an "LG killer" during his time with KT. In 2023 he went 4-0 in five games against LG with a 0.84 ERA, and in 2024 he went 1-1 in four games against LG with a 1.93 ERA. His cumulative record against LG is 10 games (59 2/3 innings), 5 wins, 2 losses, 1.66 ERA.
Manager Kim Won-hyung said, "Benjamin was scheduled to throw about 75 pitches last time but threw 81. Today he can throw up to 90 pitches."
[OSEN]