It was my first time at bat in 13 years since I was a junior in middle school, and I was confident. The story behind the professional debut at-bat of a tight end who can't be tempted to hit. Whose helmet? Whose bat?
Jul 17, 2025
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It was the moment when LG Twins closer Yoo Young-chan's first professional hit ended unfortunately with a fly to right field.
Yoo Young-chan's professional debut at-bat was due to a crisis in the top of the eighth inning. The last game of the first half against the Kiwoom Heroes in Jamsil on the 10th. After tying the game 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh inning due to pinch hitter Park Kwan-woo's tying two-run shot, Yoo Young-chan took the mound in the top of the eighth inning when Park Myung-geun faced a crisis with one out and runners on first and second bases. Yoo Young-chan escaped the crisis by catching Kim Gun-hee with a double play. However, there was a situation in which he had to take the batter's box in the bottom of the eighth inning. Park Dong Won, who played as the designated hitter on this day
In the middle of the game, the pitcher entered as a batter, and Park Myung-geun took the mound in the top of the eighth inning to replace Moon Bo-kyung, who entered as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the seventh inning, so Yoo Young-chan was listed as the No. 7 hitter in Park Myung-geun's place. However, the bottom of the eighth inning began with Moon Sung-joo No. 5, and Yoo Young-chan also had his turn. It's hard to change to a pinch hitter because he's the closing pitcher. Yoo Young-chan, who came out with a bat on his helmet after two outs, stood at the left at-bat. It was my first at-bat since my professional debut, and I was able to confirm for the first time that I was a right-handed hitter.
Yoo Young-chan, who avoided a 144km fastball that came low on the first pitch, hit a 146km fastball that came to the center. The ball flew to Line Drive Castle, but it arrived exactly where the right fielder was waiting.
Yoo Young-chan also took the mound in the top of the ninth inning, but after sending out the runner due to a defensive error, he hit a timely hit by Stone and gave up the winning run, losing 3-4. He had a different experience as his first batter since his professional debut, but he left a regret for his first loss of the season.
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All hitting equipment, such as helmets, elbow guards, and gloves, borrowed Moon Bo-kyung's and took out Koo Bon-hyuk's, who only had a light bat.
The bench's instructions are not to hit. This was because you could get injured while swinging your bat. However, the athlete's desire was inevitable. Yoo Young-chan was also a baseball player at bat for the first time in 13 years.
Yoo Young-chan "When I entered the batter's box, I wanted to hit it. I was confident," he said with a smile. After middle school, he would not have hit a fast ball of more than 140km, but Yoo Young-chan said that he had been playing catch with pitchers, so he had been able to see fast balls.
Yoo Young-chan, who only returned on June 1st due to a jugular stress microfracture, firmly blocked LG's back door as a closer. He recorded a 1-1 record with six saves and an ERA of 1.13 in 14 games. Without him, LG kept the chance to win so well that it wondered if it could have kept the second place. Even in the eighth inning, he showed the prowess of a closer by coming up to the crisis and blocking it.
Yoo Young-chan, however, thinks he has done nothing compared to his previous players. I could have thrown it better, so it was a shame"In the second half, we have to do better as much as we didn't do in the first half. In order to do this, it is most important to throw without getting hurt and not falling out."
Jamsil = Reporter Kwon In-ha
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.