“We’re already ready to go. We are thinking about the right time.”
When will the Lotte Giants’ “two-seam master” Lee In-bok make his first appearance of the year with the first team?
Lotte will play the final game of the weekend series against the SSG Landers at SSG Landers Field in Incheon on April 18.
From the starting lineup, to the bullpen, to the batting order, Lotte is facing a total crisis. While Park Se-woong and Na Kyun-ahn are struggling, the outfield duo of Barnes and Stratton have been disappointing.
The team is in desperate need of a turning point. What about Lee In-bok, who has been rehabbing his elbow and getting fit with the second team?
Lee made his first Futures appearance of the season on May 27 against the Samsung Lions (2 innings, 1 hit, no runs). He then pitched against the KT Wiz on May 31 (3 innings, 3 hits, 3 runs), the Samsung Lions on June 6 (4⅓ innings, 7 hits, 6 runs (3 earned)), and the SSG Landers on June 11 (5 innings, 10 hits, 4 runs). In particular, he threw 90 pitches against SSG.
On June 17, he pitched in a practice game against Gangneung Youngdong University, allowing three runs on four hits in five innings. He struck out five and threw 68 pitches. Lee In-bok’s pitches are characterized by a fastball and an economical pitch count. He used a variety of pitches, including a two-seam, curveball, slider, and forkball, and his fastball topped out at 142 mph and averaged 140 mph.
“He’s ready to go, and we’ll continue to have conversations over the next week to find the right time to bring him back,” Sutton said.스포츠토토
Lee was a surprise starter in the second half of 2021, winning three games (seven for the team) in eight starts and becoming the team’s ‘win fairy’. Last year, he appeared in 26 games (23 starts) and posted a solid 9-9 record with a 4.19 ERA.
Seung-min Ko, who batted leadoff for the first time this season the day before, showed positive signs by going 1-for-2 with a walk and three strikeouts. Sutton said, “He worked the count well, got on base and stole a base. When he needed a big hit, he made it happen. It was a good game for him to say, ‘I can lead off,’ and he did. His batting average is coming up,” Sutton said.