Charlie Barnes Struggles In Lotte Giants Opening Game Loss

In a disappointing start to the 2025 KBO League season, Charlie Barnes, the ace pitcher for the Lotte Giants, suffered a rough outing in the opening game against the LG Twins at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul. On March 22, Barnes took to the mound but struggled significantly in his performance, pitching only three innings where he allowed eight hits—including a two-run home run, three walks, and ultimately seven earned runs.

This outing marked a low point in Barnes’ career against LG, as the seven runs allowed are the most he has ever given up to this team, eclipsing his previous personal high of five runs in a game. The match opened with Barnes facing off against a powerful LG batting lineup including notable players like Hong Chang-ki and Kim Hyun-soo. Things quickly went downhill for Barnes; after recording the first out against Hong Chang-ki, he conceded a double to Kim Hyun-soo and another double to Austin Dean, giving away the first run of the game.

Barnes’ woes continued when he faced Moon Bo-kyung, who capitalized on a favorable 2-strike count, hitting a two-run homer over the fence, marking the first home run allowed in the KBO League this season.

Despite this rocky start, Barnes did manage to navigate through the second inning without further damage, but he was utterly overwhelmed in the third inning, where he experienced a cascade of misfortune. The third inning saw not only a string of hits but also errors in judgment that compounded his struggles on the mound. After allowing back-to-back hits to Moon Bo-kyung and Oh Ji-hwan, Barnes entered a precarious situation with runners on second and third bases due to a sacrifice bunt from Song Chan-eui.

In a bid to escape the inning, Barnes issued a walk to Park Dong-won, loading the bases. He showed some resilience by striking out Park Hae-min, potentially setting the stage for a forced out. However, he then faced Koo Bon-hyuk and allowed a pushing walk, putting another run on the board for LG. An unfortunate wild pitch allowed a subsequent run to score, and Barnes ultimately conceded a two-run double to Hong Chang-ki, leading to a staggering seven-run total before he was pulled from the game.

Throughout the outing, Barnes threw a total of 81 pitches, with his highest fastball recorded at 146 km/h. Unfortunately, even with such speeds, his control faltered, evidenced by the three walks and inability to contain the LG hitters. The Giants did mount a two-run comeback in the fourth inning, but it was too little, too late for Barnes, who had already been replaced by Kim Kang-hyun.

Historically, Barnes has struggled against LG, with a record of two wins and five losses in nine previous meetings, carrying an average ERA of 4.94. In the past two years, he has been unable to secure any wins against them. His performance this year contrasts with his solid showing in spring training, where he pitched four innings without allowing any runs.

The game was an unfortunate disappointment for the Lotte Giants, as they were hoping to kick off the season on a high note with strong pitching and solid defense. Unfortunately for the Giants and their fans, the season's opener reflected the difficulties they had faced in the past against the LG Twins. Charlie Barnes’ struggles on the mound left him clearly frustrated, and both the team and the player will need to regroup moving forward if they want to improve upon this shaky start.