Rookie pitcher Lee Ho-min (19), a member of the 'Hampyeong Tigers' sensation, has been removed from the KIA Tigers' first team roster. Although he was pitching well as part of a chasing group, the decision was made to manage his condition without overexerting him, finishing the first half of the season three days early.
KIA called up pitchers Lee Jun-young and Kim Hyun-soo to the first team roster on the 8th, ahead of the game against Hanwha in Daejeon. On the 7th, when there was no game, two players were added to the roster in place of Kim Geon-guk and Lee Ho-min, who were removed.
The removal of rookie pitcher Lee Ho-min from the roster was somewhat unexpected. The right-handed pitcher, who graduated from Jeonju High School, was selected 15th overall in the second round of the 2025 KBO Rookie Draft and eased the bullpen's burden with impressive pitching after being called up to the first team on the 15th of last month.
Lee Ho-min, who recorded his first win as a reliever on his debut on the 22nd of last month against SSG, pitched 10 and 1/3 innings over 9 games, with an earned run average of 2.61. In the game against SSG in Gwangju on the 2nd, he also performed well in a long relief role, allowing only 1 run in 3 innings. Although his velocity was in the early 140s km/h and not particularly fast, he showcased a level of composure unusual for a 19-year-old rookie by using his main weapon, the changeup, to disrupt the batters' timing.
KIA struggled with a win rate below .500 until May due to injuries to both pitchers and hitters. However, many 'Hampyeong members' who were playing in the Futures League joined the first team, leading to a significant rebound in June. While the performances of position players such as Kim Ho-ryeong, Oh Seon-woo, Kim Seok-hwan, and Ko Jong-wook stood out, Lee Ho-min, along with second-year player Seong Yeong-tak, was subtly contributing on the mound, even if not overtly noticeable.
However, he was removed from the first team roster ahead of the last three games of the first half. Before the game against Hanwha on the 8th, KIA manager Lee Beom-ho said, "Lee Ho-min started the season a bit late due to a bad arm. He pitched over 20 innings in the Futures League and surpassed 10 innings after coming to the first team, totaling over 30 innings. Considering he started the season late, he has pitched more than expected."
Lee Ho-min, who was deployed in actual games starting from the Futures League match against Lotte on May 6, was called up after pitching 24 and 2/3 innings over 9 games, including 4 starts in the second team. Although he only pitched 10 and 1/3 innings in the first team, he has accumulated 35 innings overall for the season. Manager Lee Beom-ho explained, "At this pace, he would end up pitching 50 to 60 innings, so he was taken down three days early for rest."
There was also a purpose to prepare more intensively for the last three games of the first half against first-place Hanwha and to set up the pitching staff for the second half. Manager Lee stated, "After the first half, many pitchers will come up to the first team. We need to check which pitchers to deploy in the second half," and added, "This three-game series is certainly important, and the winning lineup will likely see a lot of action. It seems Lee Ho-min won't have many chances to pitch."
Left-hander Lee Jun-young, who had been sidelined due to elbow inflammation since the game against NC in Changwon on the 15th of last month, has also been called up. Manager Lee Beom-ho said, "He pitched in the Futures League and was deemed fit, so we intend to use him in this three-game series." Lee Jun-young, one of the key left-handed relief pitchers, completed his actual combat check on the 5th, throwing 2/3 of an inning with 2 walks and no runs against KT in the Futures League.
However, KIA allowed 13 runs up to the 5th inning in the game against Hanwha on the 8th, losing the momentum early, and Lee Jun-young did not get a chance to pitch. KIA lost 14-8, marking their second consecutive defeat.
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