Lee Eui-ri (23) is by far the biggest variable in the starting lineup for the 2025 season of the KIA Tigers. He will come back from rehabilitation after Tommy John surgery in June. However, June is the time to estimate his return to the mound. Even if he returns, he will have to check his health and pitching capabilities.

Yoon Young-chul/KIA Tigers

Therefore, this season, head coach Lee Bum-ho plans to actively manage the number of pitches, the number of appearances, and innings. This season, I don't have high expectations, and I'm going to make 2026 the first year of my return. It is said that the speed of rehabilitation is faster than expected and the process is good, but nothing is certain.

Therefore, it is concluded that the performance of Yoon Young-chul (21) is important to gauge the real power of Kia's starting lineup this year. There is no need to worry about James Nail and Yang Hyun-jong, and Adam Oler should be close to a constant. Until Lee Eui-ri returns, it is hard to expect tremendous performance from the five starters that Kim Do-hyun or Hwang Dong-ha will be in charge of.토토사이트

After throwing in the second inning against the Gwangju SSG Landers on July 13 last year, Yoon voluntarily left the mound. He rested for more than two months due to a fatigue fracture in his spine. He showed off his strong performance in two games at the end of this season. However, he had no chance to take the mound in the Korean Series. Since then, he has reportedly been exercising his waist strengthening. His video clip was posted on his club's YouTube channel.

For now, coach Lee Bum-ho believes that Yoon will be able to join the starting lineup from the opening game. Unless something unexpected happens, he will have to play full time this year. In 2022, the first season after his debut, he was managed with 25 ⅔ and 122 innings. Last year, he only played 18 games and 81 ⅔ innings due to back injury. Then, he will truly play full time this year.

Yoon visited the Driveline Baseball Center in Seattle, Washington, U.S. last winter, and sought to improve his speed. By slowing down the timing when his hands were removed from his glove, he put his energy into the ball. However, there was no dramatic change. According to Statistics, a baseball statistics website, Yoon's average four-core speed from 2023 to 2024 is 137.6 kilometers and 137.5 kilometers.

His ball speed did not increase significantly, but his pitching capability improved. In addition, in the 2024 season, he clearly installed cutters and started to use them together with change-up and slider. He throws less frequently but also curves. If the cutter's hit rate, which was 0.288, is lowered, the pitching content will likely be stable.

Lee Bum-ho appeared on Lee Dae-ho's YouTube channel "RE: DAEHO" on Tuesday and was asked about Yoon Young-chul. "The fact that the fatigue fracture occurred indicates that the team has not grown enough yet," Lee said. "If you average 140 kilometers, you can throw 141 to 143 kilometers. You throw cutters on sliders and curves, and change-ups, too. We only need to give three runs in five innings. To be honest, we are strong in our bat."

Coincidentally, Cha Woo-chan also ranked KIA in third place by selecting the best five starting pitchers from third to fifth place through his YouTube channel "Chit Chit Chit." On Yoon, "I don't want to see any significant improvement in ball power. However, management of the game will continue to mature. I am still doing well. I feel like Jang Won-sam in the past. He seems relaxed when he plays the game. His ball speed may improve a bit, but he is the type who plays well." He has good control and command, which means he is good enough as a fourth or fifth starting pitcher.

However, it should be said that Lee Bum-ho has expressed realistic concerns and wishes that his competitiveness will increase if his speed goes up a little more. Many are curious about how Yoon Young-chul, who has low speed of restraint, will survive in the era of arrest revolution.