A historic slump→FA rejection→Long-term injury→First call-up of the year… “If you want to use it for next year, start now.”

Samsung Lions pitcher Kim Heon-gon (35) was called up to the first team for the first time this season.

Samsung will play the first game of a midweek series against the Lotte Giants at Munsu Baseball Stadium in Ulsan on Friday.

The previous day, Kim Dong-yeop was removed from the first team and Kim was called up. Kim is a veteran outfielder with 13 years of experience.

He had a career year last year, batting just 1-for-9 with a .464 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) in 225 at-bats. He opted for free agency, but his salary was cut to $120 million this year. After suffering from repeated back injuries, he didn’t get his first taste of the first team until September, late in the second half.

“I had a lot of trouble,” said Samsung coach Park Jin-man before the game, “I had surgery and a long rehabilitation period…” he said.메이저사이트

Park was promoted to the first team after five games in the Futures League, starting with a game against LG’s second team on Aug. 27, where he batted 1-for-8 (3-for-16). “I prepared him (for the first team) because of what he has done for the team, and because he needs to play for about a month now to get a sense of the game to prepare for next year,” Park said.

Samsung’s Kim Heon-gon. Sports Chosun DB
The Samsung outfield consists of Pirela in left field, Kim Hyun-joon in center field, and Koo Ja-rook in right field. Pirela is backed by Kim Sung-yoon, who has shown flashes of potential with a 3-for-39 batting average. Kim Heon-gon is expected to play center field.

“He has good movement,” Park said. He has good throwing ability.” Regarding Kim Dong-yeop, who was expunged, Park said, “I judged that he was not hitting well when he was a designated hitter or pinch-hitter.”

Choi Chae-heung is the starting pitcher. He was pulled early after giving up four runs in two innings against the NC Dinos on Sept. 1, and is coming off three days of rest. “Five days off is when he threw 100 pitches, and he threw 50 pitches, but three days was enough rest,” Park said. “Won Tae-in also threw only 49 pitches in the last game, so Widener will start on the sixth and Won Tae-in will start on the seventh.”