"I'll keep him until the Samsung game."
Lee Eui-ri (24), a left-hander for the KIA Tigers who has fallen into the worst slump of his career since his debut, will make one more start. He will take the mound in the game against the Samsung Lions in Daegu on the 16th. It was originally planned to decide whether he would continue his starting duties based on the result of the game against the Lotte Giants held at Sajik Baseball Stadium on the 10th.
Even in the Lotte game, Lee could not last through the third inning. It was a poor outing of 2⅔ innings, 4 hits allowed, 3 walks, 4 strikeouts and 4 runs allowed. It was an early hook in two consecutive games. Now even getting through five innings is difficult. He still has no six-inning quality start. He has not found a way out of ongoing command issues. In nine games he is 1-4 with a 9.00 ERA, and his on-base per inning pitched has reached 2.11.
Still, the reason for giving him another chance is the Samsung game. There are many strong left-handed hitters. Leading the lineup are left-handed hitters, including Choi Hyung-woo, who at 43 still produces top-class league hitting, the resurgent Koo Ja-wook after returning from injury, and consistent hitters Ryu Ji-hyuk and Kim Seong-yun.
Manager Lee Beom-ho explained, "I talked with the pitching coach. Samsung has many good left-handed hitters. Eui-ri throws strikes well against left-handed hitters. I wanted to give him one start, but I'll have him throw through the Samsung game and then judge. Daegu Stadium is small. It doesn't seem like a good park for a right-hander to face a left-handed lineup."
He added, "In the Lotte game he walked four, but Lotte hitters hit and scored. Fans will likely be hard to satisfy. Still, starters need to pitch well. We can take him out at any time, but we have to do whatever we can to save good pitchers for us to be a good team. We need to find a way for him to pitch well," showing urgency for Lee Eui-ri's revival.
Lee's slump is beyond imagination. He won rookie of the year and had a career with 10 wins in two consecutive years. Of course he issues many walks, but his batting average against is also close to .300. If his command is there, his repertoire is hard to attack, but getting hit frequently is also a problem. After elbow surgery and rehab, he has yet to deliver pitching that is true to Lee Eui-ri. That makes the situation all the more regrettable.
Moreover, the right-hander Kim Tae-hyoung (20), who had appeared in a 1+1 role with Lee Eui-ri, also failed to show a reliable performance, which is another reason. In the Lotte game, Kim Tae-hyoung, who followed Lee, failed to get through two innings, allowing four hits, one walk and one hit by pitch and giving up three runs. They had hoped to give him a starting opportunity instead of Lee, but the situation is unfavorable. In the end, the rotation will return only if Lee regains his old form. The anxious manager desperately hopes that Lee will find a foothold for a rebound in the Samsung game. <
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