Back when we really needed him. He’s been as solid on the mound as he was in the second half of last year, filling in for the departure of foreign ace Adam Plutko. LG left-hander Kim Yun-sik (23) is back in native ace mode after a rough first half.

Kim threw 82 pitches in 5.2 innings of work against the KIA in Gwangju on Aug. 8, allowing one run on seven hits and zero walks with three strikeouts. His fastball velocity was back to normal and he threw strikes as aggressively as he did against the Hanwha in Jamsil on the 2nd. He consistently threw strikes with his fastball, which topped out at 146 kilometers per hour. Kim Yun-sik picked up his fourth win of the season.

Top-ranked LG extended its winning streak to two games with a 12-2 sweep of KIA. They improved to 70 wins, 44 losses and two ties on the season. With seven games this week, including a doubleheader, the team needed more starters than ever, and Kim Yun-sik came up big. Coach Yeom Kyung-yeop said after the game, “Kim Yun-sik did his job as a starter. I’m looking forward to seeing him return to his good form and I think he will be a great help to the team. We look forward to maintaining the current balance.” He applauded Kim Yun-sik.

Here are some of Kim’s answers to the press after the match.

-How did you prepare for the three months in Icheon? It seems like you trained like hell.

I personally trained very hard, and my coaches trained me very hard. First of all, I would like to thank Coach Kyung Heon-ho, Coach Bae Yo-han, Coach Kim Jong-wook, and Coach Yoo Hyun-won. They took good care of me and trained me hard. Honestly, the training was very hard, but thanks to the coaches, I was able to join the first team in good shape.

-Training with a demanding coach has always had a reputation for being very hard.

It is. It’s really hard. But I thought I’d be fooled once, so I tried to follow it to the end. I thought I would try to get back into shape from now on, so I followed him unconditionally.

Before you were sent down to the second division, you showed some serious signs in the first division, throwing a 130-kilometer fastball. It must have been hard for you at the time.

It was very frustrating. In fact, it was right for me to go down because I was still not feeling well, but (Lee) Min-ho went down first, so I thought, “Let’s hold on,” but I think it became a vicious circle. After I went down to the second group, I still thought about myself a lot and decided to become a reader. As I trained harder, the balance changed, and now I feel like the puzzle is coming together.

-What were you thinking when the coach told you to go down to the second team and prepare like a camp again?

At the time, I had lost a lot of weight and was feeling pretty bad, so I thought, “Let’s get back in shape.” I worked out harder and longer. I thought, “I’m going to work out harder and longer and get ready again.

-In the last two games, I think I’ve gotten more confident with my fastball.

Actually, I was nervous. In the last game against Hanwha and today’s game against KIA, I went to the mound in the first inning nervous. But when I threw, I felt that I had much more power to press the ball. (Park) Dong-won signed me to just trust the ball and throw, so I think I had a good result. Thank you again to Coach Kyung Hun-ho for creating a good balance again.

-How did you prepare for the Kia batting lineup recently?

The Kia bats were really scary, hitting NC Peddie not too long ago, so I just had to put my mind down and go for it. Then I saw the Jamsil game and realized that the pace was slowing down a bit, so I thought it was time to come down. I think I got lucky.

-Were you training so hard from the first day you went down to Icheon?

It was very difficult for me psychologically. I didn’t sleep well. I was under a lot of stress, and whenever I could, I would rewatch the videos to calm myself down. As I trained hard, I asked myself what was wrong, and one by one the problems started to come out. I wrote everything down so that I could go back to it quickly if I felt bad again. I think these notes will be very helpful for me.

-Can you tell me what was wrong with my balance?

I was leaning forward too fast. I couldn’t keep my center of gravity behind me, and my throw came down in one quick burst. The hitters said they could see it because my arm was just out in front.

-Did it affect your WBC?

I can’t say it didn’t, but I don’t think it’s an excuse. I don’t want to use it as an excuse, I just want to build on it and continue to do well. I think it was a good experience for the future.

-You were incredible in September last year. Is that feeling coming back? (3-0, 0.31 ERA in 5 games in September 2022)

I think my fastball is actually better than it was then. My balance is still not at that level, but I think it will get better and better as I continue to regain my confidence.메이저놀이터

When I was in the -2 team, Choi Won-tae joined the team via trade. It must have been hard psychologically because the starting rotation was full.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t conscious of it. But my balance wasn’t good, so it wouldn’t have been good for me to go to the first team like that. My biggest thought was to find my balance first.

-I have vivid memories of pitching against Ahn Woo-jin in fall baseball last year. I’m sure he’s looking forward to the postseason this year.

I don’t think I’m in a position to hope for that. I can’t guarantee a roster spot. I just want to keep playing well in the rest of the regular season, and hopefully I can help us win the regular season.

-Do you have any thoughts about the moment you clinched the No. 1 spot in the regular season?

Not yet. I think it will be a moment that I will remember for the rest of my life. I try not to think about it, but I’m looking forward to it.