The challenge did not last long. With a winning percentage of around .200 at the bottom, Kiwoom released Puig in mid-May and reverted to '2 pitchers and 1 hitter' by signing Alcantara.
Alcantara made his comeback against Doosan Bears on the 1st, becoming the winning pitcher with 1 run over 6 innings. Then, on the 7th against LG Twins, he recorded his second victory with an overwhelming performance of 3 hits allowed, no walks, 6 strikeouts, and 1 run over 8 innings.
The manager, Hong Won-ki, remarked on the 8th before the game against LG, 'Alcantara has experience in the KBO League, and regarding his pitching ability and game management, he previously did not have good records against LG, but with the team change and his own plans changing significantly, he pitched well according to his plans, although he received a lot of help from the defense while controlling his pitch count. I really didn’t expect him to go 8 innings, but he managed a long outing well with defensive support.'
Alcantara played for KT Wiz in 2019, and in 2020, he recorded 20 wins (2 losses) with Doosan. After moving to Japanese professional baseball, he returned to Doosan in 2023 but was released mid-season due to a shoulder injury, having recorded 2 wins and 2 losses with an earned run average (ERA) of 4.76 in 12 games last year.
Hong noted, 'Since he has achieved many results over a long period in the KBO League, there is not much to worry about either technically or mentally. If he manages well in terms of physical conditioning and management, I think he will show good pitching in the future.'
When asked about the feelings of using two foreign pitchers, Hong said, 'Rather than saying we should have done this earlier, the choice of having two foreign hitters was due to our hitting indicators dropping significantly last year. It was a challenge, and regardless of success or failure, I want to emphasize the importance of trying. Even though it’s late, having a strong pitcher on the mound fulfilling long innings means we can showcase a competitive performance without giving up many runs early on. I view this as a positive aspect for the upcoming games.'
Kiwoom registered foreign hitter Cardenas as a rehabilitation player for 6 weeks due to an elbow injury on the 2nd, and signed Stone Garrett as a substitute foreign hitter for 6 weeks. Garrett, who arrived on the 6th, is expected to resolve his visa issues next week and make his debut around the weekend.
Currently, Kiwoom is playing without a foreign hitter while on a winning streak. Manager Hong said, 'These days, although we are not scoring a lot, the upper and lower order connections seem to be going smoothly, allowing us to continue earning crucial points and leading to victories.' He added, 'Regardless of whether we have two foreign hitters or not, the existing players are fulfilling their roles well.'
Meanwhile, foreign pitcher Rosenberg was removed from the first team roster on the 8th after feeling hip pain following a starting appearance against LG on the 6th. After Rosenberg and Alcantara threw together in the rotation twice, Rosenberg will be unavailable for now.
On the 8th against LG, Kiwoom's rookie pitcher Jung Hyun-woo returned from a shoulder injury and pitched well for 5 innings with 1 run allowed, but the team lost 2-7 as the offense fell silent.
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