SUWON, South Korea – NC Dinos have announced a strategic change for the decisive Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) postseason game on Sunday, with their ace pitcher Erick Fedde ready to contribute from the bullpen, as confirmed by manager Kang In-kwon.
According to Yonhap News Agency, despite having ruled Fedde out the previous day due to shoulder fatigue, there is now a possibility he could pitch in the later innings of the game against the KT Wiz at KT Wiz Park. The announcement came as something of a reversal, given that Fedde was originally scheduled to start Game 5 on regular rest but was sidelined because of the concern over his shoulder.
Erick Fedde had a standout performance in Game 1, achieving a 9-5 victory for the Dinos and striking out 12 across six innings, with a total of 98 pitches thrown. "He had enough time to recover after pitching in Game 1 but he still complained of some shoulder discomfort," said Kang during the pregame media session at KT Wiz Park. The team will evaluate his condition after a bullpen session to decide on his involvement in relief.
In the absence of Fedde as a starter, the Dinos have placed their confidence in right-hander Shin Min-hyeok, who previously delivered 6 1/3 scoreless innings to secure a 3-2 win in Game 2. Meanwhile, manager Kang has been addressing other challenges, particularly the team's offense. He has rearranged the batting lineup, promoting Seo Ho-cheol to the No. 2 slot, and shifting Jason Martin, who has been struggling with a 0-for-14 at the plate, down to the sixth spot. Park Min-woo and Park Kun-woo have been adjusted to bat third and cleanup respectively.
The stakes are high, as the victorious team in Sunday's matchup will advance to the Korean Series.