The closer has been coming out for the 8th inning continuously. Although the reliable group has returned, the bullpen has not been providing stability.
LG Twins closer Yoo Young-chan has appeared in four games in July. However, in all four games, he came out for the 8th inning. This means that he faced scoring threat situations.
In the game against Lotte on the 1st, reliable teammate Jang Hyun-sik came out in the 8th inning and allowed an RBI double to Reyes with two outs and runners on second base. The score became 3-2, with a one-point difference. The LG bench removed Jang Hyun-sik and brought in Yoo Young-chan early. Yoo Young-chan faced Jeon Jun-woo and threw three consecutive sliders to earn a strikeout. In the 9th, he allowed the lead-off batter to walk but secured out after back-to-back ground balls from a runner on first and second base, preserving a one-point victory.
In the game against Lotte on the 3rd, with a 0-0 tie in the 8th inning, Jang Hyun-sik faced a single, a throwing error by the catcher, a sacrifice bunt, and an intentional walk, leading to a one-out bases loaded situation. Again, Yoo Young-chan came out, facing Jeon Jun-woo, whom he met two days before. This time, a slider went high and he allowed a two-RBI double that went past the third baseline. He ended the inning with back-to-back strikeouts despite being in a one-out, two-on, and three-on situation. LG lost 0-2.
In the game against Samsung on the 5th, reliable teammate Lee Jung-yong came out in the 8th inning with a 6-6 tie and faced a walk, a single, and another walk, creating a bases loaded crisis after one out. The LG bench replaced him with Yoo Young-chan. Yoo Young-chan struck out Kang Min-ho with four sliders, but allowed an RBI single to Kim Ji-chan. LG failed to tie the score in the 9th and lost 6-7.
In the game against Samsung on the 6th, LG added a run in the top of the 8th, leading 4-2. Lee Jung-yong came out in the bottom of the 8th and faced consecutive singles after one out, placing runners on first and second base. It was the turn of their key hitters, Diaz and Koo Ja-wook. Yoo Young-chan came out once again in a five-out save situation. He got Diaz out with a ground ball to the second baseman and, with runners on second and third and two outs, he threw five consecutive forkballs to strike out Koo Ja-wook, escaping the crisis. He also ended the bottom of the 9th without allowing any runs and secured the victory.
Yoo Young-chan had elbow surgery last December. As a national team player in the Premier 12 tournament held in Taiwan in November, he overexerted himself while pitching for three innings. After returning, he underwent examination due to elbow pain and was diagnosed with a stress fracture in the right elbow olecranon. He had surgery to remove the olecranon spur.
After completing six months of rehabilitation, he returned to the first team on June 1. He has appeared in 12 games, recording one win, five saves, and an earned run average of 1.35. Among the 12 games, he came out in the 8th inning six times. He pitched multiple innings four times. In July, he faced the 8th inning in four consecutive games, succeeding twice and failing twice.
LG has Kim Jin-sung, Jang Hyun-sik, Park Myeong-geun, and Kim Young-woo, as well as Lee Jung-yong and Ham Deok-joo, solidifying the bullpen. However, Jang Hyun-sik, acquired with a 5.2 billion won free agent contract, and Lee Jung-yong, who showed good pitching immediately after being discharged from the military in mid-June, have recently struggled in the 8th inning, increasing the burden on closer Yoo Young-chan.
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