Seoul: Former major league pitcher Yonny Chirinos will make his South Korean league debut as the Opening Day starter for the LG Twins Saturday afternoon. Manager Youm Kyoung-youb is hoping it will be the first of many starts the Venezuelan right-hander will make in 2025.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Youm expressed his expectations for Chirinos, stating, “I am hoping he will give us about 15 wins,” prior to Chirinos’ first start of the 2025 Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) season against the Lotte Giants at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. Youm is also counting on the combined efforts of his foreign pitchers, including Elieser Hernandez, to secure 30 wins, surpassing the previous year’s performance from the top two starters.
The LG Twins have struggled to achieve this milestone since 2022, when Casey Kelly and Adam Plutko delivered a robust performance with 16 and 15 wins, respectively. Between 2010 and 2021, only Kelly managed to win at least 15 games in a season, accomplishing this feat in 2020. Last season, Kelly was released in July with a 5-8 record, while Dietrich Enns recorded 13 wins but faced consistency issues. Hernandez, who replaced Kelly, managed three wins in 11 outings.
Youm also emphasized the importance of the bullpen, especially with key relievers Jang Hyun-sik and You Young-chan sidelined due to injuries, and Yi Jung-yong scheduled to return from military service in June. “We need the current group of guys to hold down the fort for a couple of months,” Youm stated, suggesting that an additional five wins from the bullpen could lead to a total of 86 wins in the 144-game season, which should be sufficient for a successful year.
The Twins’ bullpen, which boasted the KBO’s lowest ERA at 3.43 during their 2023 Korean Series title win, saw a decline to 5.21 in 2024, ranking sixth among 10 clubs. However, rookie Kim Young-woo’s impressive spring training performance, highlighted by his fastballs, has brought unexpected support. Despite considering him for a closer role, Youm plans to ease the 20-year-old into the team. “We will not put him in a save situation,” Youm assured, aiming to allow Kim to pitch in less pressured scenarios.