‘May winning percentage .765’ invincible team, strongest closer also on the verge of returning? Commander is in no hurry to “check one more time”

LG Twins’ Ko Woo-seok (25) has one more on-field checkup.

Ko threw one inning of 메이저놀이터 one-hit ball against the Hanwha Eagles in the Futures (second team) League at Seosan Stadium on Saturday. Six of his eight pitches were strikes.

LG manager Yeom Kyung-yeop met with reporters before the team’s game against the KIA Tigers at Kia Champions Field in Gwangju and said, “Go Woo-seok will pitch one more time in the Futures League on the 29th. After that, we will decide whether to watch one more game or call him up to the (first team).”

Ko was named to the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) roster, but injured his shoulder during a practice game and returned home without playing in the tournament. He returned to the first team in the middle of last month after the season opener, but went 1-1 with a 2.35 ERA in six games and 5⅔ innings pitched. After giving up four runs on three hits (one home run) and two walks while striking out six batters against the KIA in Jamsil on March 30, he was sidelined again with a back injury. This is the second injury this year that has plagued the LG bench. LG has since utilized Ham Deok-ju and Park Myung-geun on a rotational basis to fill the closing gap.

Even after his call-up to the first team, Yeom plans to manage and utilize Go Woo-seok as much as possible. He said, “I plan to refrain from pitching as much as possible after the call-up. If he does, I’ll give him a week’s rest afterward.”

“I never thought that Jung Woo-young and Lee Jung-yong would falter. In the meantime, Baek Seung-hyun, Park Myung-geun, Yoo Young-chan, and Ham Deok-ju came up one after another, and the team was able to hold on.” “The players prepared well, and the process of experiencing good success was created well. That process is the reason why our team is getting these wins,” he said.