NC Dinos and KT Wiz confirmed their playoff entries.
On the 29th, the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) released the entries for NC and KT participating in the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO Playoffs.
NC made slight changes compared to the semi-playoffs.
The number of pitchers remains the same at 13, but it is noteworthy that right-hander Lee Yong-jun is included in the entry instead of left-hander Ha Jun-young. Lee Yong-jun recorded 3 wins, 4 losses, and an ERA of 4.30 in 24 games and 67 innings in the first team this year, and was once mentioned as a candidate for Rookie of the Year as he performed well in the month of April with 2 wins and an ERA of 1.14 in 5 games and 23⅔ innings.
KT had a total of 12 pitchers named in the entry, including Eom Sang-baek, who returned from injury. Kim Young-hyun, who stepped onto the first team stage for the first time this year, was also included in the playoff entries.
Both teams have a three-man catcher system. KT will have Jang Seong-woo, Kim Jun-tae, and Kang Hyun-woo as their home pitchers, while NC will have Park Se-hyuk, Park Dae-on, and Kim Hyeong-jun as pitchers. It is a decision that takes into account variables that may occur late in the game.
In the infield, NC and KT included 7 and 8 infielders, respectively, and both teams had 7 fielders in the outfield. In the case of KT, where Kang Baek-ho left due to injury, the series started with 8 infielders and 7 outfielders.
KT coach Lee Kang-cheol, who watched the team training held at Suwon KT Wiz Park on the 29th, said, “I thought a lot about Ahn Chi-young and Jung Jun-young. When I thought about defense and base running, I decided that Jung Jun-young was better. I feel very sorry (to Ahn Chi-young).” He explained.
This morning, the two teams announced ‘ace’ Eric Peddie and William Cuevas as the starting pitchers for the first game.
Peddie pitched in 30 games during the regular season and recorded 20 wins, 6 losses, ERA 2.00, and 209 strikeouts in 180 ⅓ innings, making him the first player in 37 years since Sun Dong-yeol (Haitai) in 1986 to achieve 20 wins and 200 strikeouts at the same time. As he has shown off his unrivaled performance, he is being mentioned as a strong candidate for MVP (Most Valuable Player) this season.
However, Peddie was hit on the right arm by a hard hit in the game against the Gwangju KIA Tigers on the 16th, his last appearance in the regular season, and the aftermath continued into the postseason. In the end, he failed to pitch as a starter in the semi-playoffs against SSG Landers following the wild card match against the Doosan Bears.
Fortunately, the team had enough time to rest as it closed the wild card game and semi-playoffs with four consecutive wins. Meanwhile, Peddie, who showed a smooth recovery, was able to participate in the playoffs by performing bullpen pitching normally on the 27th. NC coach Kang In-kwon also commented after the third game of the semi-playoffs, “If no variables arise, I think Peddy will be able to play in the first game of the playoffs.”
The pitcher facing Peddie is Cuevas. Since mid-June, he has led the team’s rebound, with 12 wins in 18 games, 114⅓ innings, and an ERA of 2.60, with no losses and a 100% winning rate. He also played his part against the Suwon Hanwha Eagles on the 8th, which was his last appearance in the regular season, with 7 scoreless innings.굿모닝토토
Cuevas said, “I only rested for three weeks, but it feels like I rested for almost a month. I’ve been waiting for the game a lot, and I prepared the same way I rotated during the regular season. I’m looking forward to pitching in a stadium full of fans. A good game.” “I want to show you,” he said, expressing his ambition.