'Lotte Winning Card' Gamboa and Hong Min-gi... Busan Autumn Festival Ripens

Busan Sajik Baseball Stadium already has the scent of autumn. It's the autumn that Lotte Giants fans have been waiting for. Since winning the Korean Series in 1992, 33 years have passed, and the last autumn baseball was the 2017 semi-playoffs. After bowing to the NC Dinos, Lotte wandered for 8 years, forgetting autumn. The Korean Series is even further away. Since 1999, for 26 years, it has been a stage they have not stepped on again.

Lotte has fought every year for autumn. They signed Yu Gang-nam for 8 billion won and did not hesitate to make significant FA investments, including No Jin-hyuk and Han Hyun-hee. However, the results did not meet expectations. The names of the 'biggest stars' were heavy, but the report card was light. Unexpected hope came to Lotte. Without warning, but stronger than anyone else. Their names are Alec Gamboa (28) and Hong Min-gi (24·photo).

Lotte's new ace Gamboa made his presence known by winning the KBO League Monthly MVP in June. It was the first time in 2 years and 2 months since Na Kyun-an in April 2023 that a Lotte player received the Monthly MVP. It was also the second time in history that a foreign pitcher who joined mid-season received the Monthly MVP.

Gamboa joined Lotte in May as a replacement for Charlie Barnes, who was sidelined due to injury. At the time, there was significant concern about whether he would be better than Barnes. However, this choice turned out to be a 'divine move'. Gamboa recorded 5 wins and no losses with an ERA of 1.72 in June. He was first in both wins and ERA.

In the first game of the second half on July 18 against LG, Gamboa threw 155km/h on his 102nd pitch, showing fighting spirit with 8 strikeouts and 2 runs allowed. As of the 20th, his season record is 6 wins, 2 losses, and an ERA of 2.22. He consistently pitches more than 6 innings, demonstrating the qualities of a 'true ace'. Like Cody Ponce leading Hanwha to championship contention, Gamboa's presence is why Lotte can dream of autumn baseball.

It's not just Gamboa. In fact, the overload of Lotte's bullpen is an unsolvable problem. They need to win games, but there are not enough 'trustworthy men'. Due to a thin starting lineup, they continue to pour out the bullpen in game operations, and it was widely expected that they would eventually tire in the second half. That expectation is still valid. At that time, the name that appeared like a comet was Hong Min-gi, a 6th-year pro.

Hong Min-gi showed promise by pitching 5 innings with 1 run allowed as a starter in the last game of the first half against Doosan on the 8th. He shone even more after switching to the bullpen. He appeared in both games of the first two-game series against LG in the second half, especially on the 19th, when he came in as a reliever with no outs and a runner on first in the 7th inning, with the team leading 3-1, and overwhelmed the left-handed batter lineup. He pitched 1⅓ innings with 1 hit, 2 strikeouts, and no runs allowed, securing his first hold of the season and the team's victory.

Hong Min-gi's season record is 12 games, 2 holds, and an ERA of 1.21. WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched) is 0.81, and his batting average against is 0.171. He has not allowed a home run yet. He mixes a mid-150km/h fastball with two types of sliders, attacking the strike zone with stable control. This season, he has issued only 5 walks in 22⅓ innings while striking out 30 batters. His slider boasts such a large movement that batters flinch every time. Lotte has not been swept in a three-game series recently. At the center are Gamboa and Hong Min-gi. The long-standing shortage of left-handed pitchers that plagued Lotte has also disappeared thanks to them.

Hong Min-gi said, "I want to fulfill my role in the bullpen right now." Gamboa also said, "My goal is to lead Lotte to autumn baseball." Unexpected hope that bloomed from an unforeseen place. If Lotte welcomes autumn again, the beginning will surely be remembered as the story of these two left-handers.

jsi@fnnews.com Jeon Sang-il Reporter