Doosan left-handed pitcher Choi Seung-yong, the candidate for left-handed ace taken by Sun Dong-yeol, will return to the starting rotation after many twists and turns. Due to fatigue fracture in his left elbow that he acquired in February this year, he decided to take over the bullpen for one inning this season, but the situation changed as another promising starting pitcher Choi Joon-ho received an injury that could cause him to leave the team for an extended period of time. Proven starting pitcher Choi Seung-yong got a chance. Build-up comes first for now.안전놀이터
Doosan manager Lee Seung-yeop mentioned Choi Seung-yong as an alternative when explaining how to substitute for Choi after his injury ahead of the game against the LG Twins in Jamsil on Tuesday. Choi injured his left ankle while playing defense against the Kiwoom Heroes in Jamsil on Wednesday. “Choi Joon-ho underwent MRI and ultrasound examination at Cheongdam Leone Orthopedic Clinic on Wednesday. He was found to have torn ligament in his left ankle and will undergo ultrasound examination again after a half-bab for two weeks,” a Doosan official said on Sunday.
Manager Lee Seung-yeop said, “I am thinking about it. As for what I have discussed with the pitching coach, I am considering whether Choi Seung-yong will stay in the bullpen until today, and take a three-day break to play against SSG Landers. Kim Min-gyu prepared (as a substitute starter), but his shoulder was not in a good condition. I am thinking about using Choi as a starter after watching 60-70 pitches.”
However, Lee had already announced his intention to use Choi only as a bullpen pitcher for the rest of this year. Choi was chosen due to his injury in the first five innings and a possible replacement. “I will stay in the bullpen until today, recover and serve as a starter for three days,” Lee said. “Since the number of pitches cannot be as high as 100, the plan is different from what I expected.”
Choi had his best season since his debut last year. He played in 34 games, pitched 111 innings, and recorded three wins, six losses and one save, with an ERA of 3.97. After the end of the season, he achieved his first annual salary of 100 million won. In the 2024 salary negotiation, he earned 102 million won, up 70 percent from last year’s 60 million won.
Behind the hundreds of millions of dollars in salary was Choi’s recognition of the possibility. Choi had three wins, five losses and an ERA of 4.06 in 20 games as a starter last year. As he gradually gained experience as a starter, his potential began to burst. In eight games since August, he has played with one win and no loss with an ERA of 1.64. It seemed that the era of “Ace Choi Seung-yong” that former coach Sun Dong-yeol had visited Doosan’s camp in 2022 was just around the corner.
However, unfortunate news was reported in February this year. As he was diagnosed with a fatigue fracture in his left elbow, he needed stability. Manager Lee Seung-yeop confirmed Choi as a left-handed starting pitcher and devised a plan for this season, but the plan went awry. Moreover, as he spent longer-than-expected rehabilitation period, he failed to make the first team even after 100 games.
Choi returned to the first division in a match against SSG Landers on April 28, but his position was not as a starter but as a bullpen. “I don’t think I will be able to let him go from the beginning because today is my first time in the first division. I think I need to give him some leeway,” coach Lee Seung-yeop said on Wednesday, a day before Choi’s return.
“There is not much time for pitchers to start. I ended up going to the middle. I will only throw one inning for the time being. You should not overdo it. I will manage it well and use it to help the team in the remaining games,” he said. However, due to Choi Joon-ho’s departure and Kim Min-kyu’s shoulder injury, Plan C was activated.