Seoul: Yacksel Rios has quickly emerged as a key player for the LG Twins, despite only joining the team two weeks ago. The Puerto Rican pitcher has already made a significant impact in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), with manager Youm Kyoung-youb lauding him as the most formidable bullpen asset in the league.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Rios has been nearly flawless in high-pressure situations for the top-ranked team in the league, aside from a minor setback last week. In his first five appearances, Rios secured four holds and earned his first KBO save against the Samsung Lions on Wednesday night. This achievement came just hours after Youm declared Rios the "No. 1 reliever" in the KBO.
Rios expressed appreciation for his manager's confidence but emphasized his desire to integrate seamlessly with his teammates. "I am glad our manager had that kind of trust in me," Rios commented after the Twins' 2-0 victory at Jamsil Baseball Stadium. "I'm trying to be another guy in the bullpen because it's not only about me. We have nine innings to cover. We are all good and I'm not special. I'm just part of the team."
Since joining the Twins, Rios has been instrumental in their success, contributing to their 47-26-0 record. He made an impressive debut on June 10, securing his first hold with a scoreless inning, followed by two shutout innings for another hold three days later.
Rios faced a challenging game on June 17 against the Kia Tigers, conceding a two-run home run to Na Sung-bum for his first loss. However, he bounced back two days later with two shutout innings against the Doosan Bears for his third hold and struck out two batters in one inning against the Lions on Tuesday.
With closer Son Ju-young unavailable on Wednesday after a taxing outing the previous night, Rios stepped up in the ninth inning, striking out two of the Lions' key hitters. Despite conceding a single to Choi Hyoung-woo, Rios ended the game by striking out Kim Young-woong.
Rios relies primarily on his fastball, averaging 157.5 kilometers per hour, making him the fastest pitcher in the KBO without meeting the minimum innings threshold. His fastball reached a record 161.7 kph, the fastest pitch recorded since the KBO began using Trackman technology.
"I'm not trying to throw the hardest that I can. I just try to get people out," Rios stated. He acknowledged the challenge of adapting to the KBO's skilled hitters and emphasized the need for strategic adjustments.
Manager Youm's confidence in Rios' abilities is evident, as the pitcher has been utilized in various innings, from the sixth to the ninth. When asked about his preferred role, Rios simply stated, "My role is helping the team."
Rios, who had not pitched on consecutive days until this week, confirmed his readiness to pitch three days in a row if necessary. "If that will help my team to win and I feel great, yeah, sure," he said.