The LG Twins won 7-1 against the KIA Tigers in the 2023 Shinhan Bank Solar KBO League at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field on April 28. LG reclaimed first place in the league with a record of 30 wins, one loss and 16 ties in 47 games.
LG starter Im Chan-kyu pitched seven innings of four-hit, four-strikeout ball to secure the win. He has been performing exceptionally well lately, and this game was a continuation of that momentum.
Through 29 days, Lim has allowed just 11 earned runs in 11 games and 45⅔ innings, good for a 1.97 ERA. He has 36 strikeouts and five wins already.
More recently, Lim’s record has been even more impressive. In May, Lim went 4-0 with a 1.13 ERA in 24 innings pitched in four games. His numbers show that he’s been nearly impossible to hit this month.
After a highly anticipated debut in 2011, Im has struggled since then, most notably in his last season, where he posted a 5.03 ERA in 103⅔ innings. He didn’t perform well enough to hold off on free agency for another year.
However, Lim has shown a turnaround this season. His fastball velocity isn’t as high as it was at its peak, but it’s up, and he’s getting some groundballs.
Another factor in his success has been his changeup, which has gotten stronger. He struck out Hwang Dae-in in the bottom of the seventh inning for KIA to complete a seven-inning no-hitter with this changeup, a pitch that gives hitters trouble. 토토사이트
Im’s changeup is reminiscent of the screwball, a pitch that only a few major leaguers have ever used. Typically, a right-handed pitcher’s changeup flows from right to left. This is true of curves and sliders.
However, Im’s changeup has a final tail and flows from left to right. Right-handed batters fear being hit, and left-handed batters are fooled by the magic of the ball appearing and disappearing. The changeup, which was originally his primary weapon, has become more powerful, and Im has been cooking hitters.
Im will be a free agent again after this season. If he keeps up his current form, he’ll be able to help his team and increase his salary.