Even before the 158km lingering, I was happy to lose the 155km light speed ball of a special rookie

Mar 23, 2025

The Hanwha-KT match held at KT Wiz Park in Suwon on the 23rd. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Jung Woo-joo is on the mound and blowing rosin. Suwon = Reporter Jung Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com /2025.. 3.23/

Jung Woo-ju's 155km fastball that appeared even before Kim Seo-hyun's lingering feeling was gone.

The Hanwha Eagles failed to win the opening two consecutive games for the first time in 19 years after winning the opening game. In the game against KT Wiz at Suwon KT Wiz Park on the 23rd, they lost 4-5 after a close game in the 11th inning of extra time. Noh Si-hwan's dramatic tie-breaking home run in the top of the ninth inning, when he was trailing 3-4, drove the game to extra time, but he failed to endure the last 11 innings and gave up the victory.

However, Hanwha fans who visited the stadium must have felt as if they had won even if they lost. The players' concentration on the opponent was good until the end, but the two young pitchers who will be responsible for the future of 10 years were able to see 'fastball show'.

The Hanwha-KT match held at KT Wiz Park in Suwon on the 23rd. Kim Seo-hyun is pitching in the bottom of the 10th inning. Suwon = Reporter Jung Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com /2025.. 3.23/

Kim Seo-hyun is showing signs of becoming the strongest setup man in the league with a 180-degree change this season. Kim Seo-hyun erased one inning with a maximum speed of 158 kilometers in the opening game on the 22nd. On the same day, he threw a 157-kilometer super-strong fastball in the bottom of the 10th inning to delete the strongest batting opponent. Heo Kyung-min had a hit after two outs, but he caught Kang Baek-ho and Rojas.

And before Kim Seo-hyun appeared, Wiz Park was already hot with shouts from Hanwha fans. This is because Jung Woo-joo, who was second in the rookie draft in the eighth inning when he was trailing 3-4, took the mound. a professional debut. There was no choice but to draw attention.

Since his high school days, he has become famous for spraying fastballs with speeds of more than 155 kilometers. I also received an offer from a real Major League team. It was a bigger down payment than I thought. However, Jung Woo-joo chose the KBO League. Unfortunately, the first overall honor was handed over to Chung Hyeon-woo (Kium), but he made fans excited by saying that he was even more happy to be nominated by the hotly popular Hanwha.

The Hanwha-KT match held at KT Wiz Park in Suwon on the 23rd. Jung Woo-joo is congratulated after Roh Si-hwan hit a tiebreaking solo shot in the top of the ninth inning. Suwon = Reporter Jung Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com /2025.. 3.23/

In the spring camp, it felt a little behind Kwon Min-gyu, but when he showed an overwhelming ball in the exhibition game, interest in Jung Woo-joo began to ignite.

Manager Kim Kyung-moon was cautious. Jung Woo-joo and Kwon Min-gyu are also players who need to see the future and grow," he said, adding at first that he would give them a chance in a comfortable situation. I was losing, but it was a point away, and it was never an easy situation. Opposing hitters were also tricky with No. 4 Kim Min-hyuk, No. 5 Jang Sung-woo, and No. 6 Moon Sang-cheol.

But Jung Woo-joo was brave. Kim Min-hyuk chose his first pitch as a fastball. 154km. Strike. There was a hot cheer at Wizz Park. It was the same atmosphere as Kim Seo-hyun throwing 158km a day ago.

The Hanwha-KT match held at KT Wiz Park in Suwon on the 23rd. Jung Woo-joo is pitching in the bottom of the eighth inning. Suwon = Reporter Jung Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com /2025.. 3.23/

I got through the first crisis well. Kim Min-hyuk, who had good contact, bullied Jung Woo-joo by cutting until the end. The game is up to the full count of nine pitches. If a walk or a hit is recorded here, the young pitcher's mental strength would be greatly shaken. However, Jung Woo-joo caught Kim Min-hyuk with a fly to center field.

As if the tension was relieved, I gained confidence from next time. Jang Sung-woo grounded out to shortstop and Moon Sang-chul struck out three pitches swinging. He threw a 155-kilometer fastball five times, the highest on the day.

The Hanwha-KT match held at KT Wiz Park in Suwon on the 23rd. Jung Woo-joo is coming in after finishing the inning by striking out Moon Sang-chul in the bottom of the eighth inning. Suwon = Reporter Jung Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com /2025.. 3.23/

When Jung Woo-joo showed better-than-expected pitching, the atmosphere of the stadium changed in a flash, and the unfavorable trend slightly crossed over to Hanwha. In the ninth inning, Noh Si-hwan's dramatic equalizer broke out.

With the ball power and stable control shown on this day, I think I can join the must-win group right away. What is Kim thinking after watching Jung Woo-joo's debut match.

This article was translated by Naver AI translator.

Even before the 158km lingering, I was happy to lose the 155km light speed ball of a special rookie

Sports