“He should be back in early October.”

LG Twins Adam Plutko was placed on the disabled list on March 30 with a left pelvic contusion. Plutko had been a stalwart on the LG mound this season, going 11-3 with a 2.41 ERA in 21 games. Even without their ace, LG has been able to rattle off back-to-back wins to stay in first place. However, the presence of a foreign pitcher is crucial for LG, which hopes to not only win the pennant race, but also the Korean Series.

Manager Yeom Kyung-yeop said he expects Plutko to return in early October. As the 14th game of the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League between KT Wiz and LG was canceled due to rain on the 20th at KT Wiz Park in Suwon, Yeom told reporters, “I told Plutko to get fit as soon as possible and come up. He must come in early October,” he said, emphasizing that Plutko should be on the mound as soon as possible.

In the meantime, LG cruised without Plutko. Riding a five-game winning streak, LG has a season record of 75 wins, two ties, 47 losses, and a .615 winning percentage (as of Oct. 20). They are in sole possession of first place. Barring a major upset, they’re on track to win the pennant race. But LG’s goals don’t end there. They are looking to win the Korean Series for the first time in 29 years since 1994.

If LG goes straight to the Korean Series, Plutko’s performance will be even more important. The importance of starting pitching in the short-term cannot be overstated. The Twins have starting options in Casey Kelly, Chan-kyu Lim, and Yun-sik Kim, but Plutko will need to be on point if they want to win the Korean Series.

That’s why it’s important for Plutko to regain his form in the remaining games of the regular season. If he doesn’t, LG’s postseason prospects could be in jeopardy. Yeom will keep an eye on Plutko’s performance. He emphasized that Plutko should at least make two or three starts.

“Plutko needs to pitch two or three times before the postseason. If he pitches once, we won’t use him at all,” he said, adding, “We won’t leave him alone.” He urged Plutko’s return in a firm tone.메이저사이트

Last year, Plutko also suffered an injury late in the regular season that sidelined him for an extended period of time with back bursitis. After returning, Plutko pitched out of the bullpen for the postseason, but it didn’t go well. In his second start of the playoffs against the Kiwoom Heroes, Plutko struggled, allowing six runs (four earned) on eight hits with one strikeout in 1⅔ innings. In the end, LG was swept by Kiwoom, ending their championship dreams.

In effect, Plutko became the final piece of the puzzle. First, the timing of Plutko’s return is important. If he returns in early October, he could make two or three starts, according to Yeom’s calculations. The question is whether Plutko will be able to perform satisfactorily on the mound after his return, and many are looking forward to seeing what he can do.