Kim Kwang-hyun, baseball participant, delivers a pitch throughout spring coaching at Uruma Metropolis Gushikawa Baseball Stadium in Uruma, on this picture offered by the Landers, Japan, Feb. 24. Yonhap
As he prepares for his 18th skilled season in 2025, SSG Landers beginning pitcher Kim Kwang-hyun has taken it upon himself to guide his Korea Baseball Group (KBO) membership again to the postseason.
That is not simply because Kim is likely one of the workforce’s senior gamers at 36. He’s the workforce’s new captain, a task often given to place gamers who play day by day, not beginning pitchers like Kim. The left-hander can also be the KBO’s highest-paid participant this season, with a wage of three billion received ($2.1 million).
Kim reached the highest of the earnings rankings regardless of coming off a subpar 2024 season. He led the Landers with 12 wins but additionally posted his career-worst 4.93 ERA. He surrendered 24 residence runs, after by no means having given up greater than 19 in any of his earlier seasons.
With Kim struggling, the Landers had the worst beginning pitching ERA within the league with 5.26. In addition they misplaced to the KT Wiz 4-3 within the fifth-place tiebreaker recreation to overlook out on the postseason, as Kim gave up a go-ahead, three-run residence run in opposition to Mel Rojas Jr. within the backside of the eighth inning.
Kim mentioned beginning pitching was the workforce’s weakest hyperlink final yr and vowed to guide the trouble to deal with that shortcoming.
„In baseball, you have to have good beginning pitching to compete,“ Kim instructed reporters at Incheon Worldwide Airport, west of Seoul, on Wednesday, after returning residence from the workforce’s spring coaching web site in Japan. „Final yr, we had an important bullpen, and we by no means have to fret about our offense. Beginning pitchers have to select up the slack this yr. We had an important camp, and the fellows are prepared for the season. You may depend on an enormous season from us.“
The Landers‘ rotation, although, is already having a tough spring. Mitch White, a former main leaguer who signed with the Landers in November, suffered a hamstring damage in late February and is anticipated to overlook a number of weeks.
Kim mentioned pitchers set to fill the again finish of the rotation must step up their recreation and added he preferred what he’d seen thus far.
„Our rotation is actually going to be stronger this yr,“ Kim mentioned. „With White’s damage, guys battling for the fifth spot in our rotation must push themselves. I’ll attempt to assist my teammates throughout the preseason.“
That is the ultimate season of Kim’s four-year contract, which he signed after getting back from a two-year stint with the St. Louis Cardinals. Kim insisted he’s not apprehensive about his contract standing as a result of he’s solely centered on serving to the workforce in 2025.
„As captain, my job is to carry the teaching employees and the gamers collectively in order that we will win some ball video games,“ he mentioned. „My very own numbers are necessary, however the workforce’s file will all the time come first. I’ll fear about my contract after the season is over.“ (Yonhap)
