I couldn't hold it in the end Kim Seo-hyun's national team is out of shock. Why did you choose Yoo Young-chan as a substitute?

Dec 03, 2025

I couldn't hold it in the end Kim Seo-hyun's national team is out of shock. Why did you choose Yoo Young-chan as a substitute?
A warm-up match between Korea and the Czech Republic at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on the 9th. Kim Seo-hyun is pitching in the bottom of the fifth inning. Gocheok = Reporter Jung Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com /2025.11.9/



Why are you replacing Kim Seo-hyun?

On the 3rd, KBO confirmed and announced the list of Korean players to participate in the first off-season training for the World Baseball Classic (WBC) national team to be held in March next year. A total of 29 athletes were honored. These players will be the main players, and overseas players will be combined to create the final 30-member entry.

The national team will hold its first camp in Saipan from January 9 and prepare for the WBC. After the second Okinawa training session, he will participate in the WBC main competition.




The national team has already played two warm-up matches with the Czech Republic and Japan since the end of the Korean Series. At that time, the composition was completely young, but if you look at the list of the first camp, there are parts where the composition of the players has changed from then on.

The most notable thing is Hanwha Eagles closer Kim Seo-hyun's elimination. Kim Seo-hyun, who suffered a severe slump from the end of the season and collapsed after being hit by a fatal home run in the playoffs and the Korean Series. Fortunately, he was called in the warm-up match between the Czech Republic and Japan, but he failed to show improvement by allowing a run alone in the match against the underdog Czech Republic.

In the end, Saipan was eliminated from the camp. Alternative resources were needed. Among them, it is notable that LG Twins closer Yoo Young-chan newly joined.




I couldn't hold it in the end Kim Seo-hyun's national team is out of shock. Why did you choose Yoo Young-chan as a substitute?
The game between the Hanwha Eagles and the LG Twins in Game 5 of the Korean Series at Hanwha Life Ball Park in Daejeon on the 31st. LG catcher Park Dong-won, who won the championship, and closing pitcher Yoo Young-chan are cheering. Daejeon = Reporter Park Jae-man pjm@sportschosun.com /2025.10.31/
Yoo Young-chan contributed to LG's overall championship by recording 2 wins, 2 losses and 1 hold and 21 saves in 39 games this season. However, in the second half of the year than in the first half, the ball control was rapidly shaken. In fact, it also provided an excuse for the shock upset loss in Game 3 of the Korean Series against Hanwha. After appearing like a comet in the 2023 season and becoming the main player of the championship, he took the finishing position, but I feel like the ball is a little weaker than then in the 2023 season. However, coach Yeom Kyung-yeop showed deep trust in Yoo Young-chan, and eventually got what he wanted. Yoo Young-chan eventually became the last winning save pitcher in Game 5.

Then, what did national team coach Ryu Ji-hyun think of Yoo Young-chan well. Coach Ryu recalled the finishing touches of each team. Among them, it was Yoo Young-chan when he thought of who could control the ball stably without being shaken the most even in a crisis. And Yoo Young-chan has a very good ratio of inducing swings and misses regardless of left and right hitters. "I like folk balls, but sliders also fall down to the bell," he said, explaining the reason for his selection.





This article was translated by Naver AI translator.