"This will be a great help to the bullpen."
Samsung Lions manager Park Jin-man expressed delight at the impressive pitching of right-handed Yang Chang-seob (25). There are expectations that he will be a significant asset to the bullpen in the future.
Yang Chang-seob made a stellar start against the KIA Tigers on Nov. 11 at Gwangju-Kia Champion’s Field, delivering an excellent performance. He recorded a standout line of 5 innings pitched, 3 hits allowed (1 home run), 2 walks, 3 strikeouts, and 1 earned run. He met the requirements to be the winning pitcher, but the bullpen allowed a comeback, resulting in a loss.
His pitching was excellent. He quickly retired the side in order in the first inning. In the second inning, he gave up a solo home run to Wisdom after one out, but he did not falter. In the third inning, he allowed hits and walks leading to a 2-on, 2-out situation, but he got Oh Sun-woo to fly out to left field. He also allowed just 1 hit and no earned runs in the fourth inning, and although he hit lead-off batter Kim Tae-kyun in the fifth, he silenced the following hitters.
He threw only 67 pitches through five innings. His speed, reaching up to 150 km/h, stood out. He recorded an average fastball velocity of 146 km/h. He dominated the KIA lineup by mixing in sharp sliders (26 pitches) along with forkballs (8) and curves (4). There were expectations that if he had stayed on the mound until the sixth, a quality start would have been possible.
The Samsung starting rotation is in a crisis as domestic ace Won Tae-in is sidelined for rest and Denny Reyes is expected to undergo a long absence due to a foot injury. Yang Chang-seob delivered a performance that did not show the team's deficit. Completing 5 innings was a significant achievement and a boost for the team. Whether as a starter or a long reliever, his utility is expected to be even more critical.
Manager Park noted before the KIA game on Dec. 12, "It was his best pitching since being discharged. He allowed 1 earned run through 5 innings. His velocity has increased recently, but there were significant differences between strikes and balls. After reorganizing as a starting pitcher in the Futures team and throwing longer innings, he gained stability. A few pitches were off, but he threw the best pitches of the year. The bullpen is currently struggling. If he pitches like yesterday again, I think he can be a great help even if he returns to the bullpen."
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