Unexpected variables occurred from the first episode, but KIA Tigers Kim Jae-yeol, who took over the mound, was more calm than anyone else. He put on his best pitch of the season in an unintended start.
KIA won 6-2 in the 5th game of the season against KT Wiz in the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League held at Suwon KT Wiz Park on the 7th and won 3 consecutive wins, making a season record of 33 wins, 1 draw and 38 losses (0.465).
The result was KIA’s victory, but the process was not smooth. At the end of the first inning, the ball thrown by KIA starter Kim Kon-guk to Park Byeong-ho from second out and third base headed toward his head, and the referees agreed that the ball hit the body. In the end, according to the rules, Kim Kun-guk gave the mound to the bullpen with a headshot.
At this time, KIA called Kim Jae-yeol as the second pitcher. As it was an unexpected start, Kim Jae-yeol warmed up by throwing the ball for about 3 to 4 minutes after getting on the mound. .
Kim Jae-yeol gave up 1 point each at the end of the 2nd inning with Jang Jun-won’s 1 RBI and a sacrifice fly at the end of the 3rd inning, but he was responsible for 4 innings alone until the 2nd out in the 5th inning. He also digested the most innings in an individual game (previously 3⅔ innings against SSG Landers in Gwangju on June 16, 2021) and the number of pitches (previously 54 pitches against Gocheok Kiwoom Heroes on June 25, 2021). Kim Jae-yeol, who threw 80 pitches, recorded 4 hits, 2 walks, 3 strikeouts and 2 runs.
Thanks to his minimization of runs, KIA confronted KT with a bullpen fight midway through the game, and as a result, Kim Jae-yeol and KIA both smiled as the team won. KIA coach Kim Jong-guk also applauded Kim Jae-yeol’s pitching, saying, “Kim Jae-yeol blocked the 4th inning really well in a difficult situation where the starting pitcher went down the mound early due to unexpected variables. He played a big role in the team’s victory.”
After the game, Kim Jae-yeol said, “As I was suddenly on the mound, I tried to play the game as calmly as possible, and I was not very nervous because I had been preparing for a long time.”
He then looked back, saying, “Ahead of the second inning, senior (catcher) Kim Tae-gun told me to play aggressively with the opponent batter in the dugout right before he went up the mound, and that gave me a sense of psychological stability.”메이저놀이터
It was not easy to seize opportunities in the first team, but Kim Jae-yeol continued to receive ‘selection classes’ as a starting pitcher in the Futures League. He started all 11 games, and in one game he even went 6 or 7 innings. Kim Jae-yeol’s Futures League record this season is 4 wins and 2 losses in 11 games and 55 innings with an average ERA of 2.29.
Kim Jae-yeol said, “Recently, I took a starting class in the second group, and there was no anxiety about long innings.” It seems to have happened,” he said.
Jae-yeol Kim puts his best pitching day behind him and sets his mind to fulfilling his role again. He said, “I will become a player who can go out anytime like today.”