Kirk McCarty (28) was selected as one of the most powerful left-handers in the KBO League. He pitched without hesitation, a fastball that reached 150 kilometers per hour even in a small physique. By adding a slight difference in ball speed, he mixed cutters and curves that lead batters to swing and miss.

He displayed sincere attitude and good adaptation to the team. The player was also satisfied with his Korean life. The same was true of players' families. He was not an overwhelming pitcher, but he was able to take responsibility for at least six innings in every game. He seemed to be categorized as a certain person who would renew his contract through June. When June ended immediately, his ERA was 2.52, which was very good. He was still in his late 20s, so he had room for further development.

Here, however, things unexpected happen one after another. It was an injury. Blisters can usually appear on any pitcher. It was not a big problem. However, he felt pain in his left forearm in late June. McCarty was embarrassed by the pain, although he did not have to worry about the pain. Even if there was an All-Star break, he was absent for quite a long time. When SSG was about to hit hard, foreign ace players were quite sick.

After returning to the team, he seemed to reassure everyone by throwing the ball normally, but he seemed to lose strength in September. His slump in September was quite serious. As if the player knew this, he started throwing the ball as hard as he could from the beginning of the game against Lotte in Incheon on Sept. 23. However, he felt pain in his side and was substituted after two innings. He missed the game again at the end of the most important regular season. It is fortunate that his team finished the season in third place, otherwise he would have suffered even more severe glare.

Both McCarty and SSG were embarrassing results. The SSG confidently chose McCarty over Sean Moriman for several reasons. Despite its small size, the team's pitching power was pretty good, playing capacity, and willingness to learn, and crucially, it did not suffer many injuries in its career. He expected that he would throw 150 or more innings without difficulty despite physical burden during the middle of the season. He thought that if he played the full time like that, he would be able to pitch better in 2024.

McCarty, however, collapsed because he proved everything but failed to prove his health. Although he returned to the postseason, he did not make much contribution, as he was not able to play as a starter. This is why SSG agonized over the issue after the end of the season. He is not weak in ball power and could be injured if he uses his pitches well. Ultimately, SSG excluded McCarty from its list of players withheld. Then, it recruited right-hander Robert Duggar, whose career path represents "health," to bid farewell.  안전놀이터