Professional baseball Lotte Giants pitcher Na Kyun-an (24) won the title of “first full-time starting pitcher in his professional debut” in his 6th season. On the day he confirmed entry into the starting pitching staff for the 2023 season, Na Kyun-an proved his true value in front of Lotte coach Larry Sutton by fighting hard.
On the 27th, Lotte had a confrontation with the KIA Tigers, an exhibition match for the 2023 season, at the Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan. Lotte came from behind to win 6-2 in the game that day.
Coach Sutton pitched Na Kyun-an as the starting pitcher for the match. Coach Sutton announced the composition of Lotte’s starting pitching team for this season, including Na Kyun-an, at an official press conference before the game. Coach Sutton confirmed and announced foreign pitchers ‘one-two punch’ Dan Straley (35), Charlie Barnes (27), Park Se-woong (27), Na Kyun-an, and Han Hyun-hee (29) as the 1st to 5th starting pitchers this season. Coach Sutton decided on Na Kyun-an and Han Hyeon-hee as the 4th and 5th starting pitchers. Coach Sutton said, “Kyun-an Na is one of the players who has grown the most this season in spring camp.” As a result, Na Kyun-an was named to the starting pitching staff for the opening season for the first time since joining Lotte in 2017 and transitioning from catcher to pitcher in 2021.
In the 2022 season, Na Kyun-an performed brilliantly, recording an average ERA of 3.98, 3 wins, 8 losses and 2 holds in 117 and 2/3 innings. Na Kyun-an played the role of a firefighter, going back and forth from the starting pitcher as well as the gyetoojo. Lotte highly evaluated Na Kyun’s performance last season and re-signed with Na Kyun-an for 109 million won, an 87.9% increase from 58 million won in the 2022 season.
As if to repay manager Sutton’s decision on the starting pitching staff, Na Kyun-an pitched well in the starting game on the 27th. Na Gyun-an blocked the KIA lineup from the 1st to the 4th without conceding. Na Gyun-an faced the KIA lineup with a fastball at 145-147 km/h and a forkball at 130 km/h, and blocked it without conceding.
Na Gyun-ahn’s crisis management skills shone in the 4th episode. Na Kyun-an gave up a hit in front of right fielder to Park Chan-ho, who entered as the lead batter in the 4th inning. Then, Kim Seon-bin was allowed a hit in front of the center fielder, facing a crisis with no 1st and 2nd bases. However, Na Gyun-an handled Socrates, the fourth hitter of the KIA, with a double stroke, and then, Choi Hyung-woo, who entered the at-bat, was treated with a grounder in front of the third baseman, escaping the risk of conceding on his own.
Na Kyun-an threw a 143 km/h fastball to Kim Seok-hwan, the 9th hitter of the KIA, in the situation of 2 out 1 base in the 5th inning. Na Kyun-an’s ball was driven to the center of the strike zone, and Kim Seok-hwan hit a two-run home run over the right wall. Na Kyun-an gave up two runs with one missed pitch, but went down the mound after showing good pitching for five innings that day. Kyun-an Na threw 72 pitches, recording 47 strikes and 25 balls.
After allowing 2 runs in the 5th inning, Lotte went around batting at the end of the 6th inning and scored a large number of 6 runs to complete a big inning. Ahn Chi-hong, Lotte’s lead hitter and second batter, hit a hit that fell deep next to the right fielder, then ran boldly to create a double. Lotte got a chance to score 1st and 2nd base safely with Jeon Jun-woo’s infield hit. Batter 4 Han Dong-hee laid the groundwork for the pursuit with an RBI and a timely hit that slipped past the shortstop.
Lotte scored a tie due to KIA’s defensive mistake. KIA’s changed pitcher Kim Dae-yu threw a check ball to second base runner Jeon Jun-woo in a situation where 1st and 2nd base were unharmed. The ball hit Jeon Jun-woo’s helmet and headed for the center fielder. However, KIA center fielder Lee Woo-seong made a catch mistake again, and second base runner Jeon Jun-woo arrived home. Lotte tied the score 2-2. Lotte then entered the at-bat, and Ko Seung-min hit a timely hit with an RBI that escaped second base. Lotte succeeded in reversing, 3-2. Jeong Hoon, who was sluggish this season with no hits in 18 at-bats in the demonstration game, also got out of the slump by hitting 1 RBI in a timely manner. Afterwards, Lotte added points with KIA’s defensive mistake and Yoo Kang-nam’s sacrifice fly, leading 6-2 by the end of the 6th inning.
After Na Gyun-ahn went down the mound, 스포츠토토Lotte put in Lee Min-seok (6th inning, 1 inning), Choi Jun-yong (2/3 innings), Koo Seung-min (1 and 1/3 innings), and Kim Won-joong (1 inning) to play without any additional runs. has finished
Na Kyun-an said in an interview after the game, “I am happy that the results of physical training since spring camp came out well.” Na Kyun-an said, “Pitching coach Bae Young-soo told me from last year’s finish camp to spring camp that he wanted me to keep my starting position as it was an achievement I made myself.”
Manager Sutton positively evaluated Na Kyun-an’s pitching, saying, “It was the last appearance before the regular season, and it gave me an opportunity to gain confidence, and it was a pitch that greatly helped me prepare for the season.”
Lotte recorded 3 wins, 8 losses and 1 draw in 12 demonstration matches played until the 27th. On this day, 3,000 baseball fans visited the Sajik Baseball Stadium to support the Lotte players even though it was a Monday.