Didn't you get used to the literary mound? Dune and booing...'ML 28 wins' special left-hander KBO debut → 4 runs in 5 innings poor
Didn't you get used to the literary mound? Dune and booing...'ML 28 wins' special left-hander KBO debut → 4 runs in 5 innings poor
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Maybe he couldn't adapt to the mound in literature. His command ability, which was considered his strongest strength, was not displayed at all. Doosan Bears' top left-hander foreign pitcher Cole Irvin ended his KBO League debut unsatisfactory. He allowed up to five innings to meet the requirements for a winning pitcher, but he even won due to bullpen fire.
Irvin started against the 2025 Shinhan Sol Bank KBO League SSG Landers at Munhak SSG Landers Field in Incheon on the 22nd and allowed seven hits, six strikeouts, three outs and four runs in five innings.
Irvin played the starting rotation of the Major League last year. As such, a big left-hander who is hard to come to the KBO League is wearing Doosan's uniform.
Ahead of the opening game, Doosan manager Lee Seung-yeop told reporters, "If you throw a lot of strikes, you are not a pitcher who will be easily attacked. The ball has great power. Except for the unfamiliarity of throwing for the first time in Incheon, you will be able to pitch yourself," adding, "You are a smart pitcher, and there are many different pitches. You can find a location where you can throw various pitches wherever you want. Currently, the team has to rely on the starting pitcher. I expect the starting pitcher to play long innings and show the prowess of a major leaguer as he is the first starter."
However, contrary to Lee's expectations, Irvin had concerns first. Since taking the mound for the first time at Munhak, Irvin threw three balls first since he faced Jihoon Choi, the leadoff hitter, in the bottom of the first inning, exposing his ball control anxiety. He eventually gave up a walk to Jeong Joon-jae, the follow-up hitter.
At the end of the second inning, Lee Ji-young and Park Sung-han were allowed to get on base with a dune. In particular, Park Sung-han's dune situation also caused a dizzying situation in which the ball was hit in the back of his hand. Later, the video of the dune led to a picture of the Landersfield crowd booing. In the end, Irvin was hit by successive timely hits by Ha Jae-hoon and Ko Myung-joon, and gave up a sacrifice fly ball to Jihoon Choi, allowing three runs.
Irvin, who also had hits in the bottom of the third and fourth innings, faced a crisis again as he gave up consecutive hits to Herredia and Han Yu-sum in the bottom of the fifth inning. With runners on the second and third bases with one out, Irvin gave up a grounder RBI to Park Sung-han and recorded his fourth run. Irvin ended his KBO League debut by striking out Ha Jae-hoon with a swing and miss. 안전놀이터
Out of a total of 92 pitches, Irvin posted 55 strikes and 37 balls. He threw fastballs with a maximum speed of 152 km/h, but most of the pitches were not formed in the strike zone. Four-seam fastballs had 18 strikes and 14 balls, making offensive pitches. It was all the more regrettable for Irvin as he hardly showed his strength in commanding.
Although Irvin couldn't pull off more than five innings, the Doosan bench seemed to be taking the lead by operating the bullpen from the sixth inning. However, Irvin's debut win was also canceled as setup man Lee Young-ha gave a one-point lead to pinch hitter Oh Tae-gon's come-from-behind two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning.
As Irvin was shaken from the opening game, Doosan faced an unexpected obstacle. With native ace Kwak Bin already forced to sit out for the time being due to his abdominal muscle injury, Doosan will have a tough early season if it fails to catch Irvin's game, the team's must-win starting pitcher. Doosan aims to counterattack by deploying Jack Rogue on the starting pitcher's mound on Sunday. If the team loses for two consecutive games even after deploying two foreign pitchers in the opening game, its internal injury will become too serious. Attention is focusing on whether Rogue will be able to soothe Doosan's bitter feelings by leading the team to its first win of this season on Sunday.