LG Twins pitcher Lee Jung-yong had his worst start since making the switch.

It was his worst outing since switching to the starting rotation.

Lee took the mound for the final game of the regular season against the Samsung Lions of the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Monday, giving up seven runs on nine hits and no walks in 3 1/3 innings for his second loss of the season. After giving up the most runs in a single game this season, Lee played the fewest innings of his career in the second half.

The game didn’t go the way he wanted from the start. After giving up two runs in the first inning, Lee surrendered seven runs in the top of the fourth. He didn’t give up a single home run in the process, but he did have four long balls of two or more. He struggled against the aggressive approach of the Samsung bats, and eventually had to leave the mound after less than four innings.토토사이트

In his previous game, on the 22nd against the Jamsil NC Dinos, he gave up four runs on five hits in five innings with three walks and three strikeouts, but he was a little shaky compared to his previous start. It was only the second time this season that he gave up more than four runs in two consecutive games, from July 9 against the Busan Lotte (6 runs, 5 earned) to July 27 against the Suwon KT (4 runs). To that extent, Lee has pitched consistently well since August.

This, coupled with the addition of Choi Won-tae, who was clearly struggling with his starting pitching until the end of July, gave LG momentum and allowed them to solidify their dominance. In fact, having more options has allowed LG to utilize better pitchers.

Looking ahead to the Korean Series, LG is planning a “short-term strategy” that is tailored to the game. Part of that is adjusting the starting rotation.

Since the Korean Series doesn’t require the use of a fifth starter, LG is looking for an “optimal four-man rotation. Assuming foreign pitcher Adam Plutko returns from injury, Casey Kelly, Plutko, and Lim Chan-kyu are more or less set in stone, with Choi Won-tae and Lee Jung-yong competing for the other spot.

While Lee has been on a downward spiral, Choi Won-tae, who has been struggling since August, has had time to rebuild after being designated for assignment on Nov. 11 and earned his first win in a long time on Nov. 24 against Hanwha in Jamsil, allowing one run on six hits (one homer) in seven innings while striking out eight and walking one.

Before the game on the 28th, LG manager Yoon Kyung-yeop said, “Choi Won-tae went down to the second team and adjusted his arm height a bit. He’s still missing a bit, but he’s been practicing his changeup a lot.” “Either Choi Won-tae or Lee Jung-yong will probably go to the middle. Right now, I’m thinking of using Lee Jung-yong (in the bullpen) because he has experience in the middle. Choi Won-tae has a lot of postseason starting experience. You can’t ignore that. I’m going to see how he continues to start, and I’m going to listen to the coaches and the club before I decide (who to start). Starting is the most important thing,” he said.

For Lee to earn a starting spot in fall ball, he’ll have to prove that he can go the distance and pitch long innings reliably. Otherwise, the manager’s mind will be more inclined toward Choi Won-tae. It will be interesting to see how the competition plays out for the rest of the season.