Wiz pitcher Allen taking role changes in stride: 'I am ready to do whatever team needs'

SUWON — KT Wiz pitcher Logan Allen spent the entire Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) regular season as a starting pitcher. Then for the Korean Series that started this week, with the team lacking left-handed bullpen arms against the left-heavy lineup of their opponent, Samsung Lions, Allen was asked to pitch in long relief.

And after a shaky appearance out of the bullpen Tuesday night, as the top-seeded Wiz eked out an 8-7 win over the No. 2 seed Lions, Allen has been moved back to the rotation. He is now slated to start Game 4 of the best-of-seven series on Saturday.

The American pitcher said Wednesday he has no issues with his continuous role changes, saying he is willing to do whatever he can to help the Wiz.

"I have done both in the U.S., in the big leagues and minor leagues. I have done everything and I have felt comfortable," Allen said in a media scrum before Game 2 at KT Wiz Park in Suwon, about 30 kilometers south of Seoul. "I never have arm problems. It is one of those things where I can pitch and recover really fast and pitch whenever they need. If I start Game 4, I am ready for Games 5, 6 and 7 to go out and do whatever the team needs."

In Tuesday's game, Allen gave up two hits against three batters he faced and was charged with two earned runs in the top of the seventh inning. The Lions scored five times in that frame to cut the deficit from 8-0 to 8-5, and added two more runs in the eighth inning before ultimately falling short by a run.

Wiz manager Lee Kang-chul said afterward it had been a mistake to send in Allen ahead of another lefty, Oh Won-seok, in that particular moment in the seventh inning with three straight left-handed batters due up, and said the American pitcher would not pitch in relief again the rest of the series.

Allen said he was "unlucky" Tuesday because he only gave up soft contact and dribblers happened to find holes through the infield for hits.

"I think it is not a good time to be unlucky, but it is part of the game," Allen said. "Hopefully, next time I get an opportunity, groundballs go to one of our fielders. It was good to get in the game yesterday, and to get out the nerves being in the Korean Series felt good. Now, my sole focus is just preparing to win Game 4 and just preparing like I did in the regular season. I feel good, and so just got to stay where I am at."

Allen's Game 4 start will come at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in the southeastern city of Daegu, considered the most hitter-friendly stadium in the KBO that yields plenty of home runs.

Allen, who did not surrender any long ball in 11 2/3 innings there in the regular season, said the ballpark's reputation is the furthest thing from his mind.

"I don't really think about it. If it is easier for the hitters, then we are going to score more runs," Allen said. "It doesn't matter what ballpark we are in. I think our pitching is the best and I think our hitting is the best. So I think at the end of the day, it's the best versus the second best (from the regular season standings). And we need to play like the first-place team."