Chronic injury + sluggishness → Changing the number → Even surgery...Should I overcome my ordeal and get my smile back? Choi Junyong dreaming of revival.

Dec 22, 2024

photo courtesy of Lotte Giants

He suffered repeated poor performances and injuries. Can Lotte Giants Choi Jun-yong regain the best fastball in the league.

Next year, we have to show a different side of ourselves. As Lotte Giants' Choi Joon-yong hoped, Koo Seung-min and Kim Won-joong remained on the team, and even Jung Chul-won joined the team. It should be reborn as one of the pillars of the powerful bullpen.

At the start of the 2023 season, I was full of motivation. Sun Dong-yeol's back number, but Park Se-woong, Lee In-bok, and Yoon Sung-bin suffered from injuries, and Lotte challenged the nightmare '18' jinx head on. In addition to his fierce fastball, he also proved that he is a pitcher who works as hard as his overflowing talent by wearing changeups and sweeper.

However, even Choi Jun-yong came to 'curse' without fail. He suffered a long injury for two consecutive years, and this year he finally faced the reality of a season out.

He even exposed his self-confidence unexpectedly due to repeated injuries. In 2023, when he lost the first half due to injury, he knocked on the batter's conversion despite his impressive performance in the second half, embarrassing the Lotte club. In 2024, the uniform number was changed back to 56 during the season. It is part of an effort to regain the image of being good.

The power of Choi Jun-yong, who is healthy, remains. Last year, he also had a good record of 2 wins, 3 losses, 14 holds, and a 2.45 ERA. Choi Jun-yong's salary in 2024, which is 163 million won, is full of expectations from the club.

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This year, he also showed off his powerful ball power in March and April at the beginning of the season. However, since May, it has fallen into a deep slump again. Cha and Lotte decided to first resolve the chronic injuries that continued throughout their professional careers because they had been away from the team due to injuries every year.

In the end, Choi Joon-yong underwent surgery on his right shoulder shoulder joint in August. There was also a struggle to prepare for the next season before it was too late. The rehabilitation period is about four months. He will likely have no problem joining the spring camp next year.

Choi Jun-yong's absence was huge. Lotte failed again in its fall baseball challenge due to poor bullpen performance. Closer Kim Won-joong struggled, but it was not enough to withstand the thinning mound.

Lotte was busy during the offseason after realizing the disappointment. He succeeded in catching closer Kim Won-joong, who became an FA, and Koo Seung-min, a must-win group, and added strength to the bullpen by acquiring Jung Cheol-won in a 3-2 trade, including promising player Kim Min-seok.

photo courtesy of Lotte Giants

He also made no secret of his desire to take the next step. He re-signed Reyes, a new '202 hit', left-hander ace, Barnes, while recruiting Davison instead of Wilkerson, who pitched 196 ⅔ innings, dreaming of a different day than yesterday.

Now it is the second season of Lotte manager Kim Tae-hyung. In addition to the batters and starters who have grown beyond recognition over the past year, Choi Jun-yong and Yoo Kang-nam should return to injury to show a turnaround. Will Choi Joon-yong be able to draw the smiles of head coach Kim Tae-hyung.

lunarfly@sportschosun.com