Did 3 players undergo elbow surgery in a year?
KIA Tigers left-handed pitcher Yoon Young-chul has been sidelined due to injury. He had poor pitching in the game against Hanwha Eagles in Daejeon on the 8th and was taken out early. He felt discomfort in his elbow and, after a thorough examination at the designated hospital in Gwangju, was diagnosed with partial damage to the flexor muscle. He is scheduled for a re-examination in 4 weeks. Generally, flexor muscle damage leads to elbow ligament reconstruction surgery. If he undergoes surgery, it is expected to be difficult for him to play until the 2026 season.
Yoon Young-chul was a super rookie drafted in the first round of the 2023 season. He excelled as an ace at Chungam High School and was selected as a starting pitcher right after joining the team, gaining attention. He appeared in 25 games as a full-time starting pitcher, throwing 122⅔ innings. He achieved a solid record of 8 wins, 7 losses, and an earned run average of 4.07. Although he failed to reach 10 wins, he showed his starting ability with precise control and as a four-pitch pitcher.
The training staff considered Yoon Young-chul's status as a young pitcher and allowed him time to recharge during the season while managing his rotation intervals comfortably to help him finish the season fully. However, in the winter, instead of resting, he underwent special training at Driveline in Seattle, USA. The following year, he faced difficulties. He performed well in the starting rotation until June of the 2024 season, but after pitching against SSG in Gwangju on July 13, he suffered a micro-fracture of the vertebra, leading to a 72-day absence.
After completing rehabilitation, he returned safely and was included in the Korean Series roster. However, he did not pitch in a single game. Due to the nature of the Korean Series, where the first to third pitchers take the mound and the bullpen consists mainly of must-win players, he did not get an opportunity. Instead, he prepared for this year with a firm mindset in the offseason. To compensate for the disadvantage of not having fast velocity, he chose to change his pitching form to one that uses more strength.
Although he was designated as the fourth starting pitcher early on and prepared for the season, he performed poorly when the season commenced. His first pitching opportunity was continually delayed, causing struggles with conditioning, and he could not endure even 3 innings in 3 consecutive games. Ultimately, he was sent to the second team for a recharge. After returning a month later, he showed improvement in practice, throwing a scoreless 6-inning game and managing to fulfill his role in the starting rotation.
Initially, the plan was for foreign one-two punch Adam Oller to take the mound in the game on the 8th. However, due to Oller not recovering from the heaviness in his arm, Yoon Young-chul pitched instead. In his first outing in 9 days, he was unable to perform at his best. He altered his pitching form, and in an attempt to recover from his struggles, he pushed himself more during pitching, which likely put strain on his elbow. He ultimately found himself facing the possibility of elbow surgery. It cannot be overlooked that the fatigue accumulated from immediately stepping up as a main pitcher after joining the team.
Before this, Lee Eui-ri and Kwak Do-kyu also underwent elbow surgeries, and their cases were similar. Lee Eui-ri went under the knife during last season and, after completing rehabilitation, is on the verge of returning in the second half of this year. This year, left-handed must-win pitcher Kwak Do-kyu also underwent the same surgery. Lee Eui-ri rotated through the starting rotation since his rookie year, and after being called up multiple times to the national team, fatigue accumulated. Kwak Do-kyu, who only pitched in 14 games during his 2023 rookie season, pitched 71 games as a formidable left-handed must-win pitcher in the 2024 season, even participating in the Premier12 tournament.
This unfortunate situation, where young players have been active as starters since their early days, has occurred again. While it is challenging to conclude that overwork is the sole reason for the injuries, it could be attributed to a pitching form that requires significant strength or due to sudden changes in pitching form leading to physical strain. However, the fact that 3 young pitchers have experienced elbow issues within just a year is unusual. This should raise particular concern.
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