Does Sanchez’s return make a difference?
Kia has been on a roll, going 7-3 in its last 10 games and jumping up to fifth place. The entire batting lineup has exploded in August. There was a brief lull at the beginning of the second half, but the bats are still strong. They are not far behind the league’s strongest LG batting lineup.
However, it’s too early for KIA to celebrate. The starting lineup, which is the backbone of their long run, continues to see yellow and red lights. It started when Lee Yi-ri went down with shoulder pain after pitching just four innings against KT in Suwon on April 22. It turned out to be a simple inflammation, and Lee briefly gave way to Kim Gun-guk against the Gwangju NC on the 29th before returning in early September.
The worry is that this is not the end. Mario Sanchez pitched well against the Gwangju Hanwha on September 25, giving up one run on seven hits with six strikeouts and two walks in seven innings, but he informed the club of an elbow problem after the game. After cross-checking with three hospitals in Gwangju and Seoul, KIA received a diagnosis of partial right medial collateral ligament damage and impingement syndrome symptoms.
He will be sidelined for at least three weeks. He avoided elbow surgery and a season out, but it’s a pretty big blow. First of all, there are many variables in rehabilitation. Every athlete recovers at a different rate. You can”t expect to be back in action in three weeks. You need time to build up your conditioning, starting with bullpen pitching. This is because you won”t touch the ball for at least three weeks. In the end, we calculate that it could take around a month to return.
But there’s another variable. Lee is a member of the national team for the Hangzhou Asian Games, which will convene on September 22. He’s expected to be out for about two weeks. Coincidentally, he could be on the national team before or after Sanchez’s return. There will likely be very little of the regular season left when Lee returns, which means KIA may not be able to run its usual starting rotation from now until the end of the season.
The strength of the alternate starters will be crucial in the remaining 40 games. Manager Kim Jong-kook has already made it clear that he won’t rely on just one starter when it comes to the 29th game against Gwangju NC. It would be great if the alternate starter could reliably pitch five or six innings, but it’s not going to be easy.
In addition to second-year right-hander Hwang Dong-ha (21), who has already had one successful debut, the team will likely utilize veteran Kim Gun-guk (35), left-hander Kim Yoo-shin, and fellow right-hander Kim Jae-yeol in tomorrow’s NC game. Depending on the situation, some of them will be used in one game, while others will be used separately if they pitch well. It’s a bit of a game plan.토토사이트
KIA has 40 games remaining, the most of any of the 10 teams. It’s safe to assume that they’ll be using alternate starters at least once a week. The bats and bullpen will need to help out as much as possible. The team will need a major bullpen upgrade in time for the September expansion roster. While the win percentage may be lower on days when the backup starter is out, there’s not a single game that KIA can afford to give up as they fight for a top-five finish. If the bats come through, there’s no reason they can’t overcome this crisis.