"Thank you for making a new arm. You'll get stronger"…Jeon Mir, who is brave even with Tommy John surgery, will return to the 'second half' at the latest
"Thank you for making a new arm. You'll get stronger"…Jeon Mir, who is brave even with Tommy John surgery, will return to the 'second half' at the latest
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Lotte Giants Jeon Mir underwent medial collateral ligament surgery on his right elbow on the 26th. Since the middle of this season, he has undergone an operation called "Tommy Zone" after suffering from discomfort in his right elbow.안전놀이터
Jeon Mir, who showed extraordinary talent in both pitching and batting during his high school years in Gyeongbuk, was nominated by Lotte as the third overall pick in the first round of the rookie draft. Until the closing camp, Lotte prepared for the second half of the year, but Lotte valued pitcher Jeon Mir's talent higher, and Jeon Mir prepared for the 2024 season by focusing only on the mound from the spring camp. And based on his impressive performance in the exhibition game, he succeeded in joining the opening game entry.
Jeon had tremendous impact in the early days of this season. By banking on his fastballs exceeding 150 kilometers and curves, he allowed no runs in all four games in March, and got off to a good start. He then connected this trend to seven consecutive games of no runs. Notably, with Lotte's bullpen collapsing from the beginning of this season, Jeon's pitches were like a welcome rain. As a result, Jeon's chances to take the mound are increasing.
Jeon Mir became a must-win group with one win, one loss, three holds, and an ERA of 4.63 in 13 games in April, and he showed some ups and downs in May, but continued his excellent performance with two losses, two holds, one save and an ERA of 5.40. However, Jeon Mir's pitching began to deteriorate noticeably due to his frequent appearances, and after losing two and posting an ERA of 14.40 in seven games in June, he went down to the second division as a break.
However, a problem arose here. While going down to the second team, he checked his physical condition and was told that he had accumulated a lot of fatigue in his right elbow. Jeon went to rehabilitation after receiving injection treatment. However, the discomfort in his elbow did not go away as time passed, and Jeon finished the season without taking the mound not only in the first team but also in the second team after the game against the LG Twins on June 15. Then, he finally went to the operating table on the 26th.
Amid the news of the surgery, Jeon Mir shared his update on his SNS on the 27th. He posted a picture of himself with a thumbs-up with the words, "Thank you to all the people who supported me. I will come back stronger." He also expressed his gratitude to the medical staff who underwent the surgery through his Instagram story, saying, "Thank you for making me a new arm."
In case of Tommy John surgery, Lee Min-seok needs more than a year of long rehabilitation before he returns to the mound. However, Jeon's rehabilitation period is expected to be relatively short as six months. The reason is that his elbow was not in good condition enough to have Tommy John surgery. Therefore, he can return to the first team after completing the build-up at the beginning of the second half of the 2025 season.
If he recovers well, he can return to the mound earlier than six months. A Lotte official said, "It wasn't serious from the doctor's opinion, but there was some damage to the elbow ligament. He said, "Rehabilitation is enough," but Jeon Mir himself felt uncomfortable, so he underwent surgery. The rehabilitation period is six months because his elbow was not serious. If he recovers quickly, he can come back faster."
It may be regrettable for Lotte that Jeon Mir cannot contribute to the team's strength from the beginning of the season, but Lotte's bullpen is more expected next year than this season. "Trustman" Choi Jun-yong will return to the mound after shaking off his injury, and even Jung Chul-won, who acquired the 2022 Rookie of the Year title, will join the team. And since Koo Seung-min and Kim Won-joong, who earned free agency status, also remained at Lotte, if they hold out well in the first half of the year, Jeon Mir, who left an intense impact frame in the early and mid-season of this season, is expected to join the team in the second half.