He’s on track for a career-high performance. He is in the first year of a five-year, 9 billion won contract, but he is closer to double-digit losses than double-digit wins.
Park started against the NC Dinos at Sajik Stadium in Busan on April 3, allowing three runs on eight hits in seven innings with two walks and seven strikeouts. Despite pitching a quality start plus (7+ innings and 3 earned runs or less), he suffered his sixth loss of the season as the team fell to 1-8.
Park’s form hasn’t been great lately. In his last start of the first half, on July 8 against the LG Electronics, he gave up six runs on six hits (one home run) in 5⅔ innings with two walks and two strikeouts, his worst outing of the season. He then pitched 5 innings, 4 hits, 5 walks, 1 strikeout and 4 runs against Kiwoom on July 22, and 4⅓ innings, 8 hits, 2 walks, 4 strikeouts and 6 runs (4 earned) against KIA on July 28. It was his third consecutive poor outing.
Previously, Park had stabilized with a streak of eight consecutive quality starts. However, as the starting staff’s foundation faltered, so did the team. 스포츠토토
In Game 3, Park managed to bounce back. He gave up three runs in the top of the sixth inning to the top of the order, but that was all the damage he could do. He may be disappointed, but he did his part.
Manager Larry Sutton said, “I made an adjustment between yesterday and my last start. I made some adjustments to my slider and paid attention to it. That part of his game worked well. He threw six of seven scoreless innings and showed good feel for his pitches,” Sutton said, explaining and praising Park’s adjustment process, saying, “It was very encouraging to see the NC hitters see his pitches and make adjustments in the fifth inning, and then he came out in the seventh and finished strong.”
Park has won 10 games in the last two years in a row, but this year he has been slow to add to his win total. During an eight-game streak of quality starts, he posted a 1.34 ERA (8 earned runs in 53⅔ innings), but no wins. He went just 4-1. And those four wins are all he has on the season. His last win came on June 23 against the LG Electronics (8 innings, 3 hits, 5 strikeouts, 1 run).
At his current pace, he’s 10 losses away from 10 wins. He’s on pace for a career-high in several metrics, but his wins aren’t keeping up. His ERA and FIP are the same at 3.44. It’s almost as if he’s doing it all on his own. Since last year, the wider outfield and higher fences at Sajik Stadium have reduced the number of long balls Park has allowed. His .319 BABIP and .639 OPS this year are the lowest of his career. He is becoming a pitcher who is able to control situations that can be a variable.
However, the offense’s struggles, coupled with his bad luck, have put a red flag on Park’s 10-win season for the third straight year. His 2.89 run support is also one of the lowest among pitchers in regulation innings. His record shows that he has been slow to add wins.
In addition, he will miss the end of the season due to his call-up and participation in the Hangzhou Asian Games in mid-September.