95 saves already? 149 kilometers, who knew he’d change Lotte history?
Lotte snapped a four-game losing streak with a big win. Lotte was able to smile for the first time in a long time with a 6-3 win over NC at Sajik Stadium on April 2. As the game was a close one, it was closer Kim Won-joong (30) who made the difference.
Kim took the mound in the top of the ninth and got leadoff hitter Kwon Hee-dong to ground out to third base on two pitches, then gave up a single to Park Geon-woo, but got Jason Martin to swing and miss with a 149-kilometer fastball and then got Yoon Hyung-jun to swing and miss with a 119-kilometer curveball to end the game.
With his 18th save of the season, Kim Won-joong made Lotte history by recording his 95th career save. He set a new record for the most saves in a single season with Lotte. Previously, Son Seung-rak’s 94 saves were the most for Lotte, but Kim surpassed them. Son Seung-rak is one of the league’s leading closers with 271 career saves, and he earned his 94 saves while playing for Lotte between 2016 and 2019.
“I didn’t realize it until the game was over,” said Kim Won-joong, who became a part of Lotte’s history, “and I was overwhelmed.” “I think my head was white for a moment, and I thought, ‘Wow, he made so many saves,'” he added.
Kim Won-joong has taken over Son Seung-rak’s mantle as Lotte’s closer. It must have been a strange feeling to surpass Son’s record. “It’s an honor to be compared to him, and I think this record makes me feel more determined to become a player who can keep winning more consistently in the future,” he said.
Kim needs just five more saves to become the first Lotte pitcher to reach the 100-save milestone. There are still 56 games left for Lotte. He’s still got plenty of time to reach the milestone this season. Recently, when Koo Seung-min became the first LOTTE pitcher to record 100 career saves, he was “showered” by his teammates, and it’s unlikely that Kim Won-joong will be able to do the same soon. “I’m not looking forward to it, but it would be cool to get doused,” he laughs.바카라사이트
When Kim Won-joong joined Lotte in 2012, few would have expected him to become the team’s leading closer. And now that he’s been a full-time closer since 2020, his 95 saves have taken on a special significance. “Honestly, I didn’t expect to get to this point,” Kim said. “I think it would be too arrogant to say that I want to get a few more saves in the future. I’ll do my best to build it up one by one,” he said.
