13.2 billion crazy overpay? As long as it doesn't hurt, Koo Changmo is a super-special ace, not a muktu.

Oct 06, 2025

13.2 billion crazy overpay? As long as it doesn't hurt, Koo Changmo is a super-special ace, not a muktu.
In the first wild card game between NC and Samsung at Samsung Lions Park in Daegu on the 6th, Koo Chang-mo of NC is cheering after finishing the inning by treating Samsung Kim Young-woong with a fly to center field. Daegu=Reporter Huh Sang-wook's wook@sportschosun.com/2025.10.06/



Did you endure the stigma of 'eat and run' for this moment.

The class showed what the difference was. It was a match that showed why the NC Dinos invested 13.2 billion won in Lee.

'If it doesn't hurt, super-special ace' Koo Chang-mo made a really great pitch because he didn't get sick. Escaped my colleagues from the brink of NC. Now it's 1-1 origin. Following nine consecutive wins in the regular season, the momentum of 10 consecutive wins until the first game of the wild card game is expected to continue in the second game of the wild card game.




NC beat the Samsung Lions 4-1 in Game 1 of the wild card game at Daegu Samsung Lions Park on the 6th thanks to starter Koo Chang-mo's one-run effort in six innings. NC, who succeeded in boarding the last train of fall baseball in fifth place, was almost eliminated from the postseason in one game if it lost the game, but the victory will allow it to challenge the second wild card game in KBO League history. In the wild card match, the fourth-place team fights with one win advantage.

Davison, who had a first RBI and a guitar in the game, and Kim Hyung-joon, who hit a decisive two-run home run, also stood out, but Koo Chang-mo was by far the best star.

13.2 billion crazy overpay? As long as it doesn't hurt, Koo Changmo is a super-special ace, not a muktu.
The first wild card game between NC and Samsung held at Samsung Lions Park in Daegu on the 6th. NC's Koo Chang-mo raises his thumb at third baseman Kim Hui-jip's defense in the bottom of the fifth inning. Daegu=Song Jeong-heon, Reporter Song@sportschosun.com/2025.10.06/
Koo Chang-mo became the winning pitcher with five hits, three strikeouts and one run in perfect pitching, throwing only 75 pitches in six innings. The solo shot hit by Lee Seong-gyu is Oketi. But it didn't matter. We just need to win the team.




In fact, it was a handicap match for Koo Chang-mo. I was discharged from the military after serving as a managing director this summer. As soon as he returned, he returned to the starting rotation and was highly anticipated to join the power struggle in the second half. Before joining the military, he signed a huge non-FA multi-year contract worth 13.2 billion won for seven years with NC, so anyone related to NC had no choice but to expect Koo Chang-mo. Before going to the army, he was in poor physical condition, such as fatigue and fractures, but he believed that he would have improved his physical condition while serving. In fact, he played only four games in Sangmu.

However, Koo Chang-mo was not in a state of throwing the ball at all, but he disappointed many. Coach Lee Ho-joon said, "We don't need Koo Chang-mo, not a starter," and even gave him time to clench his teeth and slowly pull up his body, and he even complained of elbow pain. It's crazy.

13.2 billion crazy overpay? As long as it doesn't hurt, Koo Changmo is a super-special ace, not a muktu.
In the first wild card game between NC and Samsung at Samsung Lions Park in Daegu on the 6th, Koo Chang-mo of NC with two outs and a runner on first base at the bottom of the third inning is cheering for Samsung Kim Sung-yoon as a straight hit to second base. Daegu=Reporter Huh Sang-wook's wook@sportschosun.com/2025.10.06/
In fact, he played the season thinking that there was no Koo Chang-mo. NC's players gathered together to achieve a miraculous nine-game winning streak despite the injury of two main players, Park Min-woo and Ryu Jin-wook, at the last minute. But Koo Chang-mo's one shot was very big. Koo Chang-mo pulled himself up by throwing three games, 50 each. Coach Lee considered Koo Chang-mo to improve his condition as a starter even while the team was in desperate competition. If a starter throws only 50 pitches and comes out, the next pitcher's operation is going to die.




However, Koo Chang-mo properly returned the favor. In fact, he came out as the second pitcher in the game against KT Wiz, which was the fifth-place match, and pitched four innings with nine strikeouts and no runs, giving the team a valuable ticket to the fall baseball. He also won his first win of the season.

13.2 billion crazy overpay? As long as it doesn't hurt, Koo Changmo is a super-special ace, not a muktu.
In the first wild card game between NC and Samsung held at Samsung Lions Park in Daegu on the 6th, NC starter Koo Chang-mo is pitching hard. Daegu=Reporter Huh Sang-wook's wook@sportschosun.com/2025.10.06/
There, he prepared to shed the stigma of 'Eating and running', and even took the heavy responsibility of selecting the first game of the wild card game. There was a foreign pitcher named Logan, but manager Lee believed in Koo Chang-mo's ability to show against KT. It was also considered that it is good to maintain his condition only when he starts because he is warmed up for a long time. This was also a consideration for Koo Chang-mo.

Koo Chang-mo once again responded to the belief. "Ace" is an all-out pitching that showed how hard it is. Knowing that he has to cut off to 85 pitches, he cleverly played catch-up pitching focusing on breaking balls and reduced the number of pitches. The control of the ball was so good that Samsung batters' bats were forced to come out, and when they came out, they often became a mistake. The maximum speed of his fastball on the day was only 146 kilometers, far short of when he was throwing more than 150 kilometers in his heyday.

As such, it was a thrilling victory for Koo Chang-mo as an individual. It was the first postseason victory since the start of Game 5 of the Korean Series against the Doosan Bears on November 23, 2020.

If it is about the pitching against KT and the game against Samsung on the day, it would not be a waste of 13.2 billion won.





This article was translated by Naver AI translator.