adminThe KBO is already entering the month of June, when the race for the top spot will begin in earnest next week. However, the timing of Doosan foreign pitcher Dylan Pyle’s (27) return is still up in the air. He recently re-injured his elbow while playing catch, and his return in June is no longer guaranteed.
Doosan manager Lee Seung-yeop met with reporters before the game against Samsung in Jamsil on May 25 and shared the news of Dillon’s injury recurrence. Lee said, “Dillon felt a little strange (in his elbow) while playing catch yesterday (April 24), so it was decided to rest him again until this week. There will be no catching until this week,” the manager said.
Dillon, who became Doosan’s newest foreign pitcher in November last year for a total of $650,000 (about 800 million won), suffered a bone fracture when he was hit in the head by a pitch during a live pitch at the Australian spring training camp in late February. He spent two months resting and rehabbing, and was not able to make his debut until a month after the start of the season. Dillon took a loss against Jamsil Hanwha on April 4, giving up five runs in four innings, and then suffered a no-decision against Sajik Lotte on April 11, giving up four runs (three earned) in five innings.
Dillon’s health didn’t last long. After shaking off a head injury, his elbow became sore. He was diagnosed with a right elbow medial flexor strain after leaving the game against Sasak Lotte on the 11th, and was back on the disabled list on the 15th. After improving his condition over the next week, he returned to Jamsil Stadium on the 23rd and successfully completed his first catch, but the next day, the pain returned and he had to put down his glove again.
Doosan was unable to overcome the injury risk of its outfielders last year as well, and it contributed to its ninth-place finish in the inaugural season. Ariel Miranda, who was re-signed for a total of $1.9 million after being named the regular season MVP, complained of shoulder pain in spring training and was sidelined for more than two months after opening day. He recovered and returned in late June, but was sent packing after giving up four runs in ⅔ of an inning.
Coincidentally, we’ve seen a similar story unfold this year. Dillon came back from a bone bruise, but after two starts and an 8.00 ERA, he tore his elbow. He then re-injured it while recovering and preparing for his return. At this rate, he is not guaranteed to return in June.
Doosan is currently filling Dillon’s void with Choi Seung-yong, Kim Dong-joo, and Jang Won-joon, but it’s summer, and their physical strength will quickly diminish. Doosan needs the two foreign pitchers to perform well in order to advance to fall baseball, and this incomplete rotation could lead to a drop in the summer rankings. This is why the team needs to make a quick decision on Dillon’s future.토토사이트
For the time being, the manager’s stance is to wait and see. Dillon’s injury isn’t serious, and finding a replacement at this point would be difficult, with no guarantee of success. However, the team is not ruling out the possibility of a replacement.
“They say it’s a mild inflammation, so I think we should wait. “The first option is to wait for Dylan to come back,” he said, adding, “We are in constant communication with the clubs (foreign scouts). We’ll think about the second option carefully.”