“They’re the best pitchers on our team right now.”

KT Wiz manager Lee Kang-cheol spoke about the synergy between setup man Park Young-hyun (20)-reliever Kim Jae-yoon (33), who is classified as the best pitching duo in the league this season, ahead of the Jamsil LG Twins game on May 5. “In front of (Kim) Jae-yoon is (Park) Young-hyun, and if Young-hyun cleans up the seventh or eighth inning, Jae-yoon can pitch in a relatively more comfortable situation. That’s why Jae-yoon rarely has to pitch multiple innings. It’s good for her to close out the innings and hand over (the baton) to Young-hyun.”메이저사이트

The duo is also on pace for career-highs in individual performances, each reaching double-digit holds and saves early. Prior to today’s game, Kim had 12 saves and a 1.17 ERA, and Park had 14 holds and a 1.98 ERA. Park, who was drafted as a first-round pick last year, has shrugged off the “sophomore jinx” and is on track to make his first career All-Star Game appearance.

What Lee has noticed is the duo’s fastballs. According to Sports2eye, the KBO’s official record-keeping statistician, Park’s fastball averages 144.3 kilometers per hour, the fastest on the team except for Kim Min (145.3), who is currently off the first team roster. Kim Jae-yoon’s 141.7 kilometers per hour (12th) isn’t quite as high on the team, but he’s just as mobile as Young-hyun. Park’s up-and-down movement is 32.4 centimeters, while Kim’s is 30.9 centimeters.

This is a favorable condition for high-fast balls. “I think they have the best movement on the team,” Lee said, “I see it with my own eyes, but the machine also gives good numbers. Pitchers who have good up-and-down movement on their fastballs are able to induce fouls and hits when they throw high fastballs. When you’re trying to get a strike, it’s the same thing, you don’t want to throw it low and get it, but you want to get the batter to foul it off, so you can get out of it.”