“I have worked hard all year for this very moment. I am willing to endure a little physical hardship if I can get on the mound in Game 2 of the Korean Series.”
Professional baseball Samsung Lions' foreign ace Chris Fedek showed his determination ahead of his start in Game 2 of the Korean Series.
Fedec will take the mound in the second game of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO Korean Series (KS, 4 wins out of 7) against KT Wiz held at KT Wiz Park in Suwon on the 4th.
Samsung, which lost 7-8 after a hard-fought game in the first game, desperately needs Fedeck's good performance to return to Daegu with at least 1 win and 1 loss.
Fedek showed off his fighting spirit in the playoffs (PO) against the KIA Tigers.
In the first game in Daegu on October 26th, he became the losing pitcher after allowing 5 runs (94 pitches) in 4⅔ innings, but after resting for three days, he came back up again and pitched a fight in the 4th game in Gwangju, Jeonnam on the 30th, allowing 6 hits, 6 strikeouts, and 1 run (99 pitches) in 5⅓ innings.
Fedek, who met ahead of the first game at KT Wiz Park in Suwon on the 3rd, said about his physical condition immediately after the 4th PO game, "Honestly, it wasn't as bad as I had feared," and reflected, "I rested for three days, threw more than 95 pitches again, and then took a bus to Daegu for several hours, so it was natural for my body to feel a little sore."
It was the first time in Fedek's baseball career that he threw 193 pitches in two games with a short rest interval.
He expressed his gratitude, saying, "In the past, in the American professional baseball Major League (MLB) postseason, I pitched for two days in a row with the bullpen, but at that time, I threw 15 to 20 pitches a day, totaling around 40 pitches. This time, I threw around 95 pitches both times, three days apart. However, thanks to the careful assistance with additional recovery treatment in the hotel room and on the bus during the training part, I was well prepared physically and mentally."
The unique heat of fall baseball is also a driving force that helps people forget about fatigue.
Fedek said, “In a situation where the spectators are waving flags and KIA’s ace (James Nail) is playing hard on the opposing team’s mound, the adrenaline rush is so high that you don’t even notice that you’re sick on the mound.” He added, “This time, after four days off, I’m very excited to catch the ball as close to a normal rest as possible.”
Fedek left a good memory by appearing once against KT in the regular season this year.
On August 29th, he started in Daegu's home game and became the winning pitcher after pitching 6 innings, allowing 6 hits, 2 walks, striking out 7, and allowing 1 run, leading to a 4-2 victory.
Fedek said, "It was a special day that felt like everything in the world as I showed my fans chanting my name in front of my family who visited Korea at the time and I even got a win. We were lucky that day because KT's foreign hitter Sam Hilliard was on maternity leave. He is a great hitter who has been very active this season, and it is meaningful to be able to face him again in the KBO League Korean Series after meeting him once in the United States in the past."
Fedek faced Hilliard twice in MLB and showed a strong performance with no hits in two at-bats and one strikeout.
He also showed caution and confidence in the KT batting line, which ranked first in the regular season.
He said, "KT is a difficult team with hitters with long hitting power, hitters who are not fooled by artificial pitches, and persistent hitters who cut the ball that will swing and miss from number 1 to 9," but added, "We came up with a great series against the KIA batting line, which is the most difficult in the KBO League, with the third baseman (Kim Do-young), who will be a major leaguer in the future, and Harold Castro, etc. If we continue that momentum, it will be a huge advantage for us. “It will happen,” he said confidently.
