We don't mind playing the game.

The full-fledged rainy season has begun. All teams in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) League welcome the rainouts during this period. This is the most exhausting phase of the regular season race that has continued since the end of March. Considering the upcoming sweltering heat after the rainy season, it is not a bad idea to conserve strength through rainouts. For teams that consume a lot of their bullpen, rainouts are unavoidable.

This year, the team that has used the most pitchers per game is the Lotte Giants (5.16), and the third is the NC Dinos (4.96). The rainout of the 7th match-up between the two teams scheduled at Changwon NC Park on the 24th is not bad for either team.

However, NC manager Lee Ho-jun explained, "It wouldn't be bad to play the game." The reason is the pitching interval of the current ace, Riley Thompson. This season, Riley has played 15 games, pitching 89⅓ innings with a record of 9 wins and 4 losses, an earned run average of 3.12, 114 strikeouts, and a WHIP of 1.10, fulfilling his role as the ace. While Logan Allen struggled at the beginning of the season, Riley has supported the starting rotation.

Manager Lee Ho-jun calculated and arranged the rotation for the last game of the first half. He had set to pitch as scheduled and prepared for the last game of the first half. Despite the variables of rainouts, ultimately, a rainout variable occurred.

Before the rainout decision was made, Manager Lee Ho-jun explained, "What we need to think carefully about is that I had considered having Riley start in the last game of the first half with a 4-day turn, but if today's start is postponed, he wouldn't pitch once. If the start is postponed, there could be a situation where he can't pitch for 10 or 11 days into the second half. Having today’s game actually wouldn’t be bad."

If the game had been played as scheduled, Riley was supposed to pitch against Lotte on the 24th, against Doosan on the 29th, against SSG on July 5th, and in the final game of the first half against Samsung on the 10th in Changwon. "I hope to balance the first half at .500 and enter the second half," said Manager Lee Ho-jun, so he has calculated to ensure Riley can pitch as many games as possible.

However, as the rainout occurred, Manager Lee Ho-jun had to enter the rotation contemplation for the first half. He said, "I’m thinking about having Riley pitch 1 to 2 innings instead of bullpen pitching in the final game. I need to consult with the players first. I think I need to discuss it further with the pitching coach and the players."

For now, NC has announced that Riley will remain as the starting pitcher on the 25th and will contemplate further.

[OSEN]