While the NC Dinos were worried about their back door due to Lee Yong-chan’s struggles, the KT Wiz didn’t even have a chance to bring in closer Kim Jae-yoon. In Game 1 of the playoffs, which ended 5-9, they were not in a position to bring in a closer, and in Game 2, when they trailed 2-3 in the bottom of the eighth inning, they planned to use Kim Jae-yoon for extra innings, but were unable to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth. In the end, Jae-yoon was benched for both games at Suwon Katie Wise Park, his home stadium, before being sent down to Changwon NC Park in Gyeongnam.
Two years ago, Kim pitched in Games 1-4 of the Korean Series (KS) against the Doosan Bears, closing the door on the Bears with 2 saves and 4 1/3 innings of one-run ball to clinch the title for KT.In the regular season this year, Kim posted a 5-5 record with 32 saves in 59 games and 65⅔ innings pitched with a 2.60 ERA. With 169 career saves, he became the ninth player in KBO history to reach the 150-save plateau. When we met before the third game of the PO on the 2nd, Kim Jae-yoon was counting down the moments until he took the mound.
“We’re on the brink, so I’m trying to throw my best pitches without any regrets,” he said, “and I’m getting ready to take the series back to Suwon and go up to KS. “He said the experience of winning the title two years ago helped him prepare for this year’s postseason .”It was my first time, so I was very nervous, and I just tried to throw hard without thinking about it,” Kim said. “Now that I have more experience, I think I can relax on the mound. “When asked how he manages his mental game as a closing pitcher with a lot of pressure, he said he doesn’t do any mental management. “I just prepare as if it’s a seasonal game,” he said. “If I think it’s a big game, I have a lot of 토토사이트 distractions and overpitch. I try to throw the same as in the season.”