151km boom!
After completing military service, KT Wiz right-handed pitcher Bae Je-seong achieved a speed up by throwing a ball clocked at a maximum of 151km in his first appearance. He took the mound as a starter in a game against the Kia Tigers at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field on the 9th, pitching 52 balls over 3⅓ innings, allowing 2 hits, 1 walk, and 2 runs.
After being discharged from the military service on the 17th, he immediately joined the first team for the away game in Gwangju and threw 21 pitches in the bullpen. Manager Lee Kang-cheol noted that after watching his pitches, "It's okay," and put him on the starting mound just two days later. He added, "He needs to raise his pitch count to 80-90. If Je-seong shows good form, we can also operate a 6-man rotation."
The start was refreshing. In the first inning, he struck out Lee Chang-jin looking and struck out Park Chan-ho swinging, and induced Wisdom to fly out to third base. The third pitch thrown to Park Chan-ho hit 151km. However, in the second inning, he allowed a home run to Choi Hyung-woo after throwing an inside slider. Choi Hyung-woo's approach was notable. He then silenced the next three batters, and in the third inning, after two outs, he walked Lee Chang-jin but struck out Park Chan-ho again.
He took the mound again in the fourth inning, but allowed a double to Wisdom that hit the left center fence. He induced Choi Hyung-woo to fly out to second base. When the pitch count reached 52, manager Lee Kang-cheol personally came out to signal his replacement. After completing the scheduled 50-60 pitches, he was taken off the mound for build-up. The subsequent pitcher, Choi Yong-jun, allowed a timely hit, leading to one additional earned run.
He primarily threw fastballs (23 pitches) and sliders (23 pitches), along with changeups (5 pitches) and curves (1 pitch). According to the KBO official app, his maximum fastball speed was recorded at 151km, with an average of 145km. Before enlisting, he hit a maximum speed of 150km, but it was a one-time occurrence, and he pitched in the mid-140km range. However, on this day, despite being in the build-up process, he easily clocked 150km and consistently threw pitches in the upper 140km range.
This can be interpreted as the effect of perfect rehabilitation after undergoing elbow ligament reconstruction surgery in April after enlisting in the military. If he continues to receive systematic body management and successfully completes the 100% build-up, there is a possibility that his speed could increase further. The manager also hoped, "Surgery often makes the pitch faster, so I hope Je-seong's will be the same."
Bae Je-seong has perfectly responded to that hope. If he officially joins the starting rotation at 100% in the future, the KT mound is expected to produce a significant synergy effect. They can comfortably rotate up to six starters and, depending on the situation, utilize surplus resources in the bullpen as well. This was a comeback that comforted the humiliation of a sweep loss that day.
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