Will the Tigers’ first save king in 26 years become a reality? As Oh Seung-hwan (42) of the Samsung Lions is unable to save for the time being, the goal that seemed impossible for Jung Hae-young (23) of the Kia Tigers is gradually becoming clear.먹튀검증
Up until early August, the competition to win saves in the KBO League this season seemed favorable to Oh. Oh had 27 saves at the end of the game on Aug. 11, which was far behind Jung Hae-young with 21 saves and Yoo Young-chan with 20 saves.
Samsung was as strong as other competitors’ teams, and Oh Seung-hwan has only to post saves as he has done so far. On the other hand, save runner-up Jung Hae-young had been closed for nearly two months. Jung was excluded from the first-team entry due to right shoulder rotator cuff inflammation that he found in the match against Hanwha Eagles in Gwangju on June 23.
Therefore, after making a save in 54 days against Kiwoom in Gocheok on the 13th, Jung Hae-young himself said, “I’ve been out for a month and a half due to injury, but honestly, I don’t think I’m greedy to be the save king. First of all, I’m thinking about the team first, focusing on not recurring injuries.”
However, as Jung continued to display good pitching after his return to the first team, and Oh Seung-hwan fell into a deep slump, the scenario of a major upset gradually began to take shape. Jung made five saves in eight games after his return.
On the other hand, Oh Seung-hwan only added one save in six games with a 6.75 ERA in August. To make matters worse, he was notified of his second-tier trip when he gave up the game with a back-to-back home run against the KT Wiz in Daegu on the 15th.
In the meantime, Jung Hae-young already widened the gap with Yoo Young-chan (22) with 26 saves of the season, narrowing the gap with Oh Seung-hwan.
What is more positive for Jung Hae-young is that it is difficult for Oh Seung-hwan to take the mound in the ninth inning for the time being. “Now, if we say that our bullpen has a certain position, Kim Tae-hoon and Lee Seung-hyun can be seen as the chasing team,” Samsung manager Park Jin-man said ahead of the match against Kiwoom in Gocheok on the 29th. “There will be changes in the number of consecutive games depending on the situation, but the must-win group will have Lim Chang-min, Choi Ji-kwang and Kim Jae-yoon, and Oh Seung-hwan will likely play the role of Ojak Bridge in the middle.”
As Oh Seung-hwan was used as a mid-game skit rather than a finishing touch, Jung Hae-young’s first save king was no longer a dream. If Jung succeeds in turning the tables and keeps his No. 1 save ranking until the end, he will be the first save king from the Tigers in 26 years since Lim Chang-yong in 1998 when he was in Haitai.
The variable is Oh’s return to the mound at the end of the season. Since his return to the main league on Tuesday, Oh has been showing his early performance in the season by striking out two in two consecutive games. At the game against Kiwoom in Gocheok on Sunday, he took the mound at the bottom of the sixth inning with two outs and runners on the first and second bases, and led Samsung to a 1-0 victory by pitching one hit and two strikeouts in one ⅓ inning. Based on the track man, his fastball speed reached the maximum of 149 kilometers per hour. If he continues to display good pitching, his return to the mound at the end of the season is not a dream either.
While expressing his intention to use Oh as a midfielder, Park also said, “(After resting, my ball power has definitely improved. The ball gained strength and my ball control has stabilized. Oh needs to play an important role in the middle going forward.”