Larry Sutton (53) is stepping down as manager of the Lotte Giants.

The Lotte team said, “Coach Sutton resigned as manager for health reasons after the end of the KT Wiz game on the 27th. After careful consideration, the club respects and accepts his wishes,” the team said on Aug. 28. Head coach Lee Jong-woon will take over as acting head coach for the remainder of the season.

Sutton had resigned the day before (27) and was absent from the KT game. The club said, “Coach Sutton went to the ballpark and immediately returned home for health reasons.”

This is the second time this season that the manager’s seat has been vacant. On the 17th, Sutton completed the pregame press conference with the press before the LG Twins game, but complained of dizziness and was replaced by Jong-woon Lee. Before the game, Sutton’s health was speculated about, and he said, “Where did the story of ‘I fell down’ come from? It’s a distortion. I had a basic checkup at the club’s partner hospital for a week before the game against Seoul.”

Sutton has been sidelined for health reasons every year. In 2021, Choi Hyun, an assistant coach and battery coach, took over the reins of the first team from June 29 to July 7 due to COVID-19. Last year, Sutton also missed two games (May 11 and June 11) due to health issues. Moon Kyu-hyun, the head coach at the time, took over.

This is the final year of Sutton’s contract, as he took over the reins of the first team in May 2021 after the firing of Heo Moon-ho. Recently, he has been under a lot of stress due to poor performance.

Since taking over in May 2021, Sutton has won 53 games, lost 53, drawn eight, and posted a winning percentage of 0.500, leading the team to eighth place from last place (winning percentage of 0.400) before his appointment. Lotte has extended Sutton’s contract by one year, which was originally set to run through 2022, to secure his services through 2023.

Lotte finished eighth last year (64 wins, 76 losses, and four draws). The team’s winning percentage dropped from Sutton’s first season.

This season, the team was expected to make a big splash with a 19 billion won capital increase from its parent group, but its chances of reaching the postseason (PS) for the first time in six years have come under fire. Until early June, the team was in a three-way tie for first place with the LG Twins and SSG Landers, but it has since gone downhill. Recently, they have lost seven straight games and have fallen out of the top-five fight.토토사이트

Sutton reportedly told a close confidant that he was “struggling to even be in the dugout”. This was due to the extreme stress of poor performance. Sutton reportedly suffered from symptoms of panic disorder, although no specific diagnosis was given during a medical examination. By the end of June, the team’s management was also under some stress, as a disagreement with the coaching staff came to a head. Sutton’s position was expected to change.