After becoming the first 10-win pitcher in KT’s history following a trade, Lee has regained the status of a 10-win pitcher after struggling last year.
On April 20, he started the 10th game of the season against the Lotte Giants at KT Wiz Park in Suwon, South Korea, and pitched six innings, giving up two runs (one earned) on four hits (one home run) with two walks and six strikeouts to record his third win of the season. It was his second quality start of the season, about two months after his April 9 resignation against the Lotte.스포츠토토
Drafted in the ninth round of the 2015 Lotte Secondary Draft with the 88th overall pick, Lee moved from Lotte to KT in a trade in 2017 and has been a guaranteed 10-win starter since 2019. His first 10 wins that year earned him the title of KT’s first native 10-win pitcher, and he followed that up with 10 wins in 2020 and nine wins in 2021 to help the franchise win its first overall title.
Lee struggled with a back injury and poor performance last year, going 3-9 with a 4.21 ERA in 24 games. This year, he wasn’t in manager Lee Kang-cheol’s plans during spring training, but he was able to return to the starting rotation following the injury to Choi Soo-joon, and through trial and error, he has fully established himself with a 2-1 record and a 1.25 ERA in four games in June.
KT Exclusion / OSEN DB
Speaking before the Suwon Lotte game on June 21, KT manager Lee Kang-cheol said, “My pitching has improved since the end of May. My back doesn’t hurt anymore, so I’m pressing the ball one more time and it’s working. I’m using my strength well,” and “I trust him more than (Uhm) Sang-baek these days. I’m sure she has found her confidence. His fastball averages 144-145 mph and tops out at 147 mph,” he said, smiling at the rebound in exclusivity.
KT, which initially fielded a starting lineup of Wes Benjamin, Bo Schuler, Choi Min-joon, Ko Young-pyo, and Uhm Sang-baek, brought in Lee and William Cuevas after Schuler struggled and Choi Min-joon was injured. Lee has been a major force in the rotation, helping the team regain its first 10-win season.
“He’s a big part of the team,” Lee said. These days, sometimes we look like we did when we won 10 games. He’s been struggling a lot, so yesterday’s win was even better.” “I hope he’ll continue to manage well and throw well. Exclusivity is a winning card in my mind,” he said.
Meanwhile, KT’s starting lineup against Lotte starter Na Kyun-ahn is Kim Sang-soo (shortstop), Kim Min-hyuk (left fielder), Anthony Alford (designated hitter), Park Byung-ho (first baseman), Jang Sung-woo (catcher), Lee Ho-yeon (second baseman), Hwang Jae-gyun (third baseman), Bae Jeong-dae (center fielder), and Ahn Chi-young (right fielder). The starting pitcher is Ko Young-pyo.
