Two 2011 first-round picks face off for the first time in their careers.메이저사이트
The Hanwha Eagles and LG Twins are set for an intriguing showdown on the first day of the final three-game series of the first half of the season.
Hanwha has announced Han Seung-hyuk as the starter, while LG has chosen Im Chan-kyu to start, marking the first start for a pair of younger siblings.
In the 2011 Rookie Draft, which was held as an all-round draft, Im was selected by LG with the second pick of the first round behind Hanwha’s Yu Chang-sik, while Han Seung-hyuk was selected by KIA with the eighth pick of the first round. At the time, Im received a signing bonus of 300 million won, while Han Seung-hyuk received 180 million won.
Among the first-round picks at the time, Lim and Han are joined by NC Shim Chang-min (selected by Samsung in the fourth round) and SSG Seo Jin-yong (selected by SK in the seventh round). Doosan closer Hong Gun-hee was selected by KIA with the 16th pick of the second round, while Go Jong-wook, who also plays for KIA, was selected by Nexen with the 3rd pick of the 3rd round. Yoo Kang-nam, a catcher who made 8 billion won this year, was selected in the seventh round with the second pick, and Yang Hyun, who plays in Kiwoom’s starting rotation, was selected in the 10th round with the sixth pick, the last pick at the time.Both have thrived as starters.
Lim Chan-kyu stole the limelight in his rookie year. Working primarily out of the bullpen, he appeared in 65 games, posting a 9-6 record with seven saves and a 4.46 ERA.
In his second year, in 2012, Lim bounced back and forth between starting and relieving, but in 2016, he became a full-time starter. In 2017, he went 6-10 as a full-time starter, and in 2018, he recorded his first double-digit win season with an 11-11 record. After winning just three games in 2019, Lim reached the 10-win plateau in 2020 (9 losses). He doesn’t have a fastball, but his changeup and secondary pitches helped him cook opposing hitters.
However, after winning just one game in 2021 and six in 2022, Lim fell out of contention for the starting job this season and started the season in long relief. Opportunity comes to those who work hard, and Lim seized it. Injuries and poor performances by the main players gave him the opportunity to start, and with his change-up as his main weapon, he quickly became a domestic ace and third starter. He is 6-2 with a 3.19 ERA this season. In two appearances against Hanwha, he went 1-0 with a 0.87 ERA.Han Seung-hyuk has been bouncing back and forth between starting and middling as his fastball, which can reach over 150km/h, has given him opportunities, but he has struggled with his command. His career high was a 7-3 record in 21 games with 88 innings pitched in 2018. After going 4-3 with a 5.18 ERA in 24 games in 2022, Han was traded after the season to Hanwha. He competed for the starting job in spring training but started the season in the bullpen. He made his first start on 17 June against the Kiwoom Heroes, replacing struggling starter Jang Min-jae. He gave up one run on three hits in three innings, then made his second start against his hometown team, the KIA, on 22 June, giving up one run on four hits with two walks and four strikeouts in four innings. On the 28th, he struggled against KT Wiz, giving up four runs on eight hits in three innings.
After giving way to Han Seung-ju in his next outing, Han Seung-hyuk was given another chance to start against LG. He has made two appearances against LG this season as a middle reliever, pitching 1⅔ innings and giving up one run on two hits and four walks. He’s thrown around 60 pitches in each of those starts, so he shouldn’t need to throw as many in this one. It will be important to keep LG’s hard-hitting line-up in check early on.
Im Chan-kyu has started 168 games since his debut, while Han Seung-hyuk has started 49 out of 244 games. This is the first time they’ve faced each other in the starting line-up.
Lim will be looking to defend LG’s top spot. A win for LG on the day would clinch the top spot for the first half of the season. Han Seung-hyuk will be looking to capitalise on the team’s recent upturn in form to earn a starting spot going forward.
Pride will be on the line as well as motivation. Last week, LG was second with a team hitting percentage of 3.1-1.9, while Hanwha was fourth with 2.9-2.2. Both did well.