Seoul: With his sophomore closer Kim Taek-yeon struggling to recapture his dominant form from a season ago, Doosan Bears interim manager Cho Sung-hwan said Tuesday he will consider demoting the right-hander to the minor league at some point.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Cho's comments came two days after Kim allowed a walk-off hit to Im Ji-yeol of the Kiwoom Heroes in the bottom of the ninth inning of the Bears' 4-3 loss. This marked the third time in four outings that Kim had given up a run, pushing his ERA to 3.67 through 54 innings. This is a stark contrast to his 2.08 ERA in 65 innings in 2024, a season when he was honored as the Rookie of the Year in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO).
Kim has blown seven saves this season, two more than all of last year. Cho attributed the 20-year-old pitcher's difficulties to a lack of confidence in his pitches. "I think he has struggled when he didn't trust his fastballs and he had trouble retiring the first batter he faced," Cho explained. "Numbers show that his fastball velocity isn't that much different from last year but he just doesn't seem to trust it 100 percent the way he did last year. He is thinking of throwing a breaking ball in spots where he would have gone with his fastball last year."
While Kim's velocity remains consistent with last year, other metrics show minor variations. His strikeout rate has slightly increased, though his walk rate has risen as well. He is also benefiting from improved batted ball luck, with a .281 average on balls in play, down from a .314 mark.
Cho refrained from labeling Kim's situation as "a sophomore slump." He emphasized the team's growth and Kim's potential, stating, "We are a young team that's trying to grow and I'd like to think that Kim Taek-yeon is trying to grow up as well. We are faced with two choices now. We can either keep him around here, hoping he will overcome his adversity, or we can give him a breather if he feels overwhelmed."
When asked if giving Kim a breather might involve a demotion to the minors, Cho confirmed, "Yes, that's a possibility. We will sit down with him and our pitching coaches to determine the best course of action. He's going to be our closer for a long time, and so we will have to do what's best for him."