**Body:**
Perhaps it was his last chance to prove himself. But Lee Ui-ri (24) of the KIA Tigers once again crumbled under pressure, and his manager has already hinted at exploring other options.
Lee took the mound on May 10 against the Lotte Giants at Sajik Stadium, but failed to complete even three innings. He started relatively well, allowing just one run through two frames, but suddenly lost command in the third. He walked leadoff hitter Hwang Seong-bin, then surrendered a triple to Go Seung-min and an RBI single to Victor Reyes, giving up two runs. After striking out two batters in a row, he appeared ready to escape the inning, but then threw four consecutive balls to Yoon Dong-hee after a first-pitch strike. KIA manager Lee Bum-ho had seen enough.
Lee Ui-ri finished his outing with 2.2 innings pitched, allowing four hits, three walks, and four earned runs. He needed 73 pitches to record just eight outs.
This was his eighth start of the season, and five of them ended with an early exit before the fifth inning. He seemed to stabilize with three consecutive five-inning outings from April 17 (against Doosan) to April 29 (against NC), but his chronic control issues resurfaced in his May 5 start against Hanwha and again in this game.
Manager Lee Bum-ho remarked after the Hanwha game, “There is a limit Lee Ui-ri must overcome. If he can’t, we may have to consider other plans.” That clear message hinted at a possible change in the rotation. The Lotte game was seen as a test of whether Lee Ui-ri could hold his spot as a starter. He failed the test.
The likelihood of the manager choosing a different path has grown. The problem is that the alternatives are not obvious. The first candidate was second-year pitcher Kim Tae-hyung, who impressed by throwing 2.1 scoreless innings as a reliever after Lee Ui-ri’s 1.2-inning, five-run meltdown against Hanwha. Kim played a key role in KIA’s comeback victory that day.
However, on May 10 against Lotte, Kim Tae-hyung failed to meet expectations. Once again following Lee Ui-ri to the mound, he allowed three earned runs in 1.2 innings, a stark contrast to his previous performance.
KIA must make a decision, but neither Lee Ui-ri nor Kim Tae-hyung has inspired confidence as a starter. There are no standout options in the minor leagues to replace them either.
The instability of the domestic starting rotation has become the Tigers’ biggest concern. Veteran Yang Hyeon-jong hasn’t been able to cover innings like before, while Hwang Dong-ha, despite two consecutive strong outings, has yet to prove he can be a consistent and reliable starter moving forward.
