[SPOTV News = Reporter Shin Won-chul] LG Twins manager Yeom Kyung-yeop had intended to run a six-man starting rotation through mid-April, aiming to avoid starters having to pitch on a twice-a-week cadence so early in the season — a plan that was derailed by Son Ju-young’s delayed return.
That plan’s absence created an immediate scheduling issue: Anders Tolhurst was set to start the first game of the three-game weekday series against the KIA Tigers on the 31st, then would get four days off before being lined up to pitch at Gocheok against the Kiwoom Heroes on the 5th of next month — a sequence Yeom would have preferred to avoid.
Another reason for the proposed six-man rotation was the condition of Yoni Chirinos. He threw 177 innings across 30 regular-season starts last year but had a precarious stretch, including elbow trouble ahead of the Korean Series.
LG head trainer Kim Yong-il said after last season that medical reports alone don’t tell the whole story. “When we evaluate foreign pitchers, we review the medicals, but we also look at when and how much they threw. Chirinos logged the most innings on our team, and we trust his condition,” Kim said.
He added that understanding a player’s past issues and the timing of their appearances can be more important than medical data by itself.
Put simply, Chirinos is a pitcher the club must manage carefully to make it through the season. Yeom said on the 27th, “When he’s healthy, Chirinos is a clear option. But he needs more careful handling than our domestic pitchers. We rested him at the right times last year — that’s how he reached 177 innings. He still led the staff. We’ll manage his rest strategically again this year.”
“We have to be very deliberate with his workload,” Yeom added. “If we overuse him because we’re chasing the standings, we may not be able to rely on him when we really need him. Regardless of momentum or the race, Chirinos will be given rest when he needs it.”
That planned caution surfaced in the March 28 opener. Chirinos was removed after one inning due to lower-back discomfort, not the elbow issues the team had feared. Fortunately, an MRI and follow-up exams on March 30 found no abnormalities.
LG lost the opener 7-11 after Chirinos surrendered six runs in his lone inning. The outing served as a reminder to monitor his condition closely all season. If there are no complications in his next bullpen and pregame routine, Chirinos is scheduled to start at Gocheok Sky Dome against the Kiwoom Heroes on the 3rd of next month.
