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Perennial doormat hoping to ride stout bullpen to 1st postseason

All News 14:11 August 20, 2019

SEOUL, Aug. 20 (Yonhap) -- Behind the KT Wiz's unexpected surge in South Korean baseball this year has been their bullpen, which has gone from one of the worst to the best in a span of three months.

Converting starter Rhee Dae-eun into the closer has worked wonders, and the Wiz's bullpen is leading the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) with a 2.17 ERA in the second half.

In this file photo from July 14, 2019, Rhee Dae-eun of the KT Wiz throws a pitch against the NC Dinos in the bottom of the eighth inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Changwon NC Park in Changwon, 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)

In this file photo from July 14, 2019, Rhee Dae-eun of the KT Wiz throws a pitch against the NC Dinos in the bottom of the eighth inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Changwon NC Park in Changwon, 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)

At the end of May, they were ninth among 10 teams in that category with 5.68, and they were stuck in ninth place in the standings at 24-34.

Through last weekend's action, the Wiz were 56-58-1 (wins-losses-ties), one game behind the NC Dinos for the fifth and the final playoff spot. The Wiz have never even sniffed at a postseason berth since joining the KBO in 2015, finishing either in last place or second-to-last place in their first four seasons.

Rhee, who went 1-2 with a 5.88 ERA in eight starts to begin the season, moved to the closer role in mid-June. He has thrown 23 games out of the bullpen, and has held the opponents scoreless in 20 of them.

The right-hander has converted 12 of 13 save opportunities, with a 2.25 ERA in his new role.

But when Rhee hasn't been available to pitch, former closer Kim Jae-yoon, who has bounced back from shoulder issues, and other relievers have stepped up.

Last Saturday, Rhee worked 2 1/3 innings and threw 40 pitches, his longest outing and highest pitch total in two months, as the Wiz defeated the Kia Tigers in 10 innings.

In this file photo from Oct. 3, 2018, KT Wiz reliever Kim Jae-yoon (R) and catcher Jang Sung-woo celebrate their 4-3 victory over the LG Twins in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul. (Yonhap)

In this file photo from Oct. 3, 2018, KT Wiz reliever Kim Jae-yoon (R) and catcher Jang Sung-woo celebrate their 4-3 victory over the LG Twins in a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul. (Yonhap)

With the Wiz nursing a 2-1 lead, manager Lee Kang-chul didn't even ask Rhee to warm up. After starter Raul Alcantara worked 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball, left-hander Ju Kwon threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings. Then Kim Jae-yoon pitched around two hits and a walk to preserve the one-run victory and pick up his seventh save.

The Wiz are in the midst of a four-game winning streak, and their relievers have not allowed any run in their past 13 innings combined.

jeeho@yna.co.kr
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