30-year-old Korean big leaguer with sore buttocks, 3G ERA 9.00, stumbles ‘gloomy start’

When deGrom declined as a starter, Dunning became a key fixture in the starters.”

‘Korean big leaguer’ Daein Dunning (30, Texas Rangers) received the above evaluation from Bleacher Report on the 3rd (Korean time). In fact, Dunning did an excellent job filling the void left by DeGrom before and after he missed the 2023 season due to Tommy John surgery.

Although the performance in the postseason was not very outstanding. Still, he did well with 10 wins, 7 losses, and an ERA of 3.55 in 26 games as a starting pitcher. His season record was 12 wins, 7 losses, 3 holds, and an earned run average of 3.70 in 35 games. Dunning is the right person to fill the gap in rehabilitation from deGrom and Tyler Mahl's Tommy John surgery and Max Scherzer's back surgery this season.

Bleacher Report designated Dunning as Texas' X-factor this season, thanks to his outstanding performance as a starter last year. The calculation is that if Dunning holds out well in the first half and DeGrom, Scherzer, and Mahle come back and show strength in the second half, they can build their pride as the defending champion.

However, Dunning's exhibition game is not off to a good start. On the 4th (Korean time), he took the mound in the 2024 Major League Baseball away exhibition game against the Oakland Athletics held at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa, Arizona, USA, and performed poorly, allowing 5 hits (1 home run), 5 strikeouts, 1 walk, and 4 runs in 3 innings.

He pitched three times in this exhibition game, with an average ERA of 9.00 with 1 win and 1 loss. In fact, his fastball velocity is not in the mid to upper 90s, and he does not have a command sophisticated enough to be able to throw a borderline pitch. It's a typical guessing type, but you also have to be lucky.

Even when he had consecutive hits in the first inning and was hit by a three-run gun from Seth Brown, the first pitch was thrown in the middle. Afterwards, he seemed to find stability in the 2nd and 3rd inning, but the trouble was that he gave up a walk to Brent Luker after 2 outs in the 3rd inning. He had consecutive hits and allowed extra runs.

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