The professional baseball team Lotte Giants has been struggling since the beginning of the season due to their bullpen. With a bullpen earned run average of 6.79, they are ranked 9th in the league.

While the bullpen's performance is one issue, the more significant concern is the increased frequency of appearances by key relief pitchers due to many close games. The pitcher with the most appearances in the league is left-handed Jung Hyun-soo, who has taken the mound in 11 games. Park Jin (10 games) and Jung Cheol-won (9 games) have been almost present in every game. In particular, there seems to be an overload on Jung Cheol-won. Naturally, his performance has declined.

It is a challenging situation until closer Kim Won-jung makes an appearance. Manager Kim Tae-hyung said, "(Jung) Cheol-won is struggling to hold up alone. It would be nice if someone could assist him from the front..."

Veterans Koo Seung-min and Kim Sang-soo need to step up in this role. However, Koo Seung-min is working hard in the second team to regain his form, and Kim Sang-soo, although in the first team, has not shown pitching content worthy of trust. Instead, young relief pitcher Park Jin seemed to be stepping up, but he is also going through a challenging adjustment as a first-time full-time relief pitcher. They have failed to find someone to relieve Jung Cheol-won's burden. In this situation, on the 9th, they saw new hope in the game against KIA at Sajik. Park Si-young, who was part of the integrated championship team at KT Wiz in 2021, proved he could be a new vital force for the bullpen. On that day, Park Si-young recorded 1 strikeout, 1 walk, and no runs in 2/3 innings, coming into the game during the 7th inning while trailing 1-3.

After getting the leadoff hitter Park Chan-ho out via fly ball to right field, he faced power hitter Patrick Wisdom, who has recorded 5 home runs this season, throwing 4 consecutive sliders to strike him out swinging. After two outs, he allowed a walk to Na Sung-bum following a full-count battle. He then passed the ball to Jung Hyun-soo, concluding his return match with Lotte. Jung Hyun-soo struck out Choi Hyung-woo, effectively handling Park Si-young's responsible runner.

It had been 1665 days since Park Si-young last wore a Lotte uniform and stepped on the mound after the game against LG on Sept. 17, 2020. Park Si-young, who joined Lotte in the 2008 draft in the 4th round, was traded to KT after the 2020 season. He changed uniforms with infielder Shin Bon-gi. At Lotte, until 2020, he recorded 191 games (12 starts), with 6 wins, 8 losses, 11 holds, and an earned run average of 6.18. He did not meet expectations. However, at KT, he quickly emerged as a championship-caliber reliever, excelling in 48 games with 45 innings, 3 wins, 3 losses, 12 holds, and an earned run average of 2.40 in 2021. He recorded 51 strikeouts, with 10.2 strikeouts per 9 innings, showcasing his effectiveness and becoming a key player in KT's integrated championship.

In May of the following year, he collapsed after injuring both the ligament and bone in his right elbow during a game against KIA in Gwangju and had to focus on rehabilitation until 2023. After nearly two years away from competitive play, he made his return in 2024. However, he was released after recording 1 loss, 1 save, 4 holds, and an earned run average of 4.62 in 26 games over 25⅓ innings.

Lotte called Park Si-young back. After his release, his former team Lotte called him back, allowing his career to continue. Lotte has brought in a player who has already played in a key relief role, thus increasing the bullpen depth. They acquired Park Si-young in preparation for such situations. And in just one game, he showcased his veteran presence. There is now hope as an alternative to the key relief squad and as a partner to Jung Cheol-won.

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