Pitcher Choi Chae-hoong of the LG Twins performed well as a substitute starter before being sent down to the minor leagues.

LG made changes to their first team roster on 21st, sending Choi Chae-hoong to the minor leagues. Starter Son Ju-yeong returned to the first team after taking a ten-day break, and Choi Chae-hoong was removed from the first team to make room.

Choi Chae-hoong pitched well on the 19th against the NC Dinos, taking the mound as an emergency starter for 5⅓ innings, allowing 4 hits, 1 walk, and 5 strikeouts while giving up 1 earned run. The only run he allowed was from a solo home run, and unfortunately he became the losing pitcher as the LG lineup was silent with no runs.

After free agent Choi Won-tae transferred to Samsung with a four-year contract worth up to 7 billion won in December last year, LG brought in Choi Chae-hoong as a compensation player. The game against NC was the best performance Choi Chae-hoong had while wearing an LG uniform. He has recorded 1 loss with an earned run average of 6.23 over 5 games (2 starts) this season.

Manager Youm Kyoung-youb noted about Choi Chae-hoong's pitching, "I saw it positively. So instead of using him continuously as a reliever, we are preparing him to start (by sending him to the minor leagues). In the minor leagues, he should pitch once a week as a starter, to avoid overwork, rotating once a week so that he can cover as a starter if any issues arise with the starting lineup."

Choi Chae-hoong, who pitched well as a substitute starter, was sent down to the minor leagues to be prepared as a backup starter instead of being utilized as a mid-relief pitcher in the first team. After Son Ju-yeong and Im Chan-kyu return following a ten-day break, LG's five-man starting rotation will return to normal.

Manager Youm Kyoung-youb commented on Choi Chae-hoong's excellent performance, saying, "His changeup has improved significantly. What he needs to work on is the slow curve. He shouldn't have thrown the slow curve to Park Min-woo after getting two strikes; it should have been used when he was ahead in the count or when it was 3 balls and 1 strike because a curve as a deciding pitch is ineffective."

He continued, "We discussed such things while he is in the minor leagues, including when to use the curve and how to use the slider and changeup. We analyzed each pitch for when to use them in the count. He will take that and play in games in the minor leagues."

Manager Youm expected Choi Chae-hoong to become 'the left-handed Im Chan-kyu.' Although his fastball velocity is in the upper 130s km/h, if he can control his off-speed pitches like changeups and curves, he can be competitive.

Youm stated, "If his curve control improves to the 100 km/h range, I believe he can be a left-handed version of Im Chan-kyu. The player himself is now trying to establish that. His mindset is extremely important," adding that, "It's not just about speed; how to compete and succeed applies not only to Im Chan-kyu but also serves as a model for those types of pitchers in the league. Shin Min-hyuk from NC is similar. He is not a power pitcher, yet he manages to succeed. (Batters find him) much more challenging to face."

Shin Min-hyuk took the mound as a starter against LG on the 19th, throwing 49 changeups among 91 pitches and achieving seven scoreless innings to earn the win.

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