When will NC native left-handed ace return…”It’s hard to say exactly.”
“I don’t think I can tell you exactly at the speed (preparing for a return).”
When will NC Dinos native left-hander Koo Chang-mo be able to take the mound.
NC manager Kang In-kwon talked about Koo Chang-mo ahead of the 2023 professional baseball KBO League home game against the LG Twins at Changwon NC Park on the 25th.
Koo Chang-mo, who was nominated by NC in the second first round (3 times overall) in 2015, is a left-handed pitcher with 46 wins, 34 losses and a 3.74 ERA in 163 games (628.2 innings) until last year. When he is healthy, the modifier of the league’s best ace is not a waste, but he has recently suffered from frequent injuries.
This season, Koo Chang-mo went around the starting rotation and posted one win, three losses, and a 3.26 ERA, but was removed from the first-tier entry on June 3 due to fine damage to his left flexor muscle. On top of that, at the end of June, the fatigue fracture recurred and the condition worsened. He is currently undergoing rehabilitation.
In particular, more attention was paid to Koo Chang-mo’s return because he was named in the final entry of the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games baseball team, which will open in mid-September. The national team, led by head coach Ryu Joong-il, will be convened from mid-September and will play until early October.
How far has Koo Chang-mo been preparing for his return. Coach Kang In-kwon, who met before the Changwon LG match on the 25th, said, “I played a 30m catch ball today. He explained, “There is no major abnormality in the injured area,” adding, “It is a process of gradually increasing it to a state of pitching for two days and resting for a day.”
Recently, coach Kang hoped that Koo Chang-mo would return before competing in the Asian Games and play one or two games and participate in the tournament. However, the speed will be slower than scheduled, which will be difficult.
Director Kang In-kwon said, “I don’t think I can tell you exactly at the speed (preparing for return). “I want to tell you because it’s decided like this, but it’s hard,” he said. “In early September, I need to come up to the first division and pitch to go to the Asian Games…””I think the national team will probably decide by then,” he said.