Prior to the opening of this season, Kiwoom Heroes’ starting lineup was evaluated as the top. This is because Ahn Woo-jin, one of the best starting pitchers in the league, Eric Yokishi and Choi Won-tae (LG Twins), who won double-digit wins for four consecutive years from 2019 to last year, were in the lineup. But the current situation is quite different. Yokishi was released due to injury. Choi left the team in a trade. Ahn Woo-jin ended the season on the 2nd after being diagnosed with the need for ligament joint surgery (Tommy Zone Surgery). Despite this, Ariel Hurado (27, Panama) is the only one who survives and leads the Kiwoom starting lineup. He has started in 25 games, showing 9 wins and 8 losses, 2.72 ERA (47 earned runs in 155.2 innings), and 17 quality starts (QS), as well as consistency that has never missed a rotation except for a single break. Although his performance did not stand out much because the team fell to the bottom, it is clear that he is a “calculated pitcher.”
This is because he did not neglect his efforts to adapt to the new environment. Initially, Kiwoom paid attention to Furado’s 150km/h fastball, but now the completeness of breaking balls such as changeups and sliders has also increased considerably. That’s the secret of doubling the power. Furado said, “At first, there were difficulties because I did it in the style I learned in the U.S.,” adding, “The advice of pitching coach (Roh Byung-oh) was very helpful.” “Hitters find it difficult to play with a handout.” He said, “You have to throw the breaking ball low to solve it easily.” “I tried to study more accordingly, and I made changes,” he said. 스포츠토토
He went on to say, “There is a side where the breaking ball has been upgraded since I came to Korea,” adding, “Compared to playing in Triple-A (Minor League) last year, changeups and sliders have definitely been upgraded a lot.” “I originally pitched fastballs and sinkers, but I think my style has changed a lot since I came to Korea,” he said with satisfaction. Furado should serve as Kiwoom’s ace for the rest of the season. Rather than feeling the burden of it, I want to breathe with young players. He said, “I try to talk a lot for the future of young players. “I want to pass on the tips I know,” he said, adding, “The advice of veteran players as a child was helpful.” I also want to help as much as possible,” he stressed.
