Can Doosan Bears foreign pitcher Cole Irvin make a comeback?
Cole Irvin is a foreign pitcher that Doosan ambitiously signed. Last year, he played 29 games (111 innings) for the Baltimore Orioles and Minnesota Twins, recording 6 wins, 6 losses, and an earned run average of 5.11. In his Major League career, he has played 134 games with 28 wins (40 losses).
He joined Doosan with a contract fully guaranteeing the maximum limit of $1 million for the first year of foreign players. The move of a pitcher who pitched over 100 innings in the previous Major League season to the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) League was unexpected.
Cole Irvin showcased impressive pitching in spring training, allowing 5 hits and striking out 10 over 7 innings in 2 games without allowing a run. By the end of April, he had recorded 4 wins, 2 losses, and an earned run average of 2.95 over 7 games (42⅔ innings), receiving evaluations of 'as expected.'
However, disappointing performances followed after May. His earned run average has risen to 7.29 since May. Out of 41 pitchers in the league who have pitched over 30 innings, he ranks last. Following a victory with 1 run allowed over 6 innings against LG on May 1, he has lost 5 consecutive games. He has not achieved a victory for over 50 days.
There have been some games where he pitched well. It's been up and down. He struggled with 8 runs allowed over 2.1 innings with 3 hits and 7 walks against NC on May 11, but pitched well against NC on May 23, allowing only 1 hit and no runs over 6 innings.
On the 10th against Hanwha, he recorded 6 innings with 2 hits and 1 run allowed. However, on the 17th against Samsung, he was hit hard, allowing 8 runs over 2⅔ innings with 13 hits. It was his worst pitching performance.
Acting Manager Cho Sung-hwan noted about Cole Irvin, "We made some technical adjustments. After the last game, we discussed reviewing the pitching design, pitch combinations, and the opponent's strategies from the beginning. I am looking forward to the next appearance through this kind of work."
He added, "Because without some changes, since he continues to experience the bitter taste in the KBO League, I think it's time for changes, whether technical or mental, or various more detailed adjustments."
He believes there are no issues with his stuff. Acting Manager Cho Sung-hwan explained, "There was a time when he was shaken, but now it feels like he has regained his control. However, the opponent also targets that control now. Since the situation has reversed, we need to find another breakthrough. He is preparing well for the next appearance."
Cole Irvin's season statistics indicate he has recorded 5 wins, 7 losses, and an earned run average of 4.86 over 14 games (76 innings). He leads the league with 4.38 walks per 9 innings and has hit 12 batters, also ranking first.
Doosan will see Choi Won-jun, who was removed from the first team roster for rest, return as the starting pitcher for the SSG game on the 24th as part of the starting rotation. The existing starters will take additional rest. Cole Irvin will take 7 days off and prepare to be the starter against SSG on the 25th. This time, he needs to show a performance worthy of his name.
Acting Manager Cho Sung-hwan expressed his hopes by stating, "He has consistently indicated that he feels confident pitching, so I hope he prepares more diligently for the next game and pitches as expected."
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