Участник:"Aces of the Past → 150km + 18-year-old monster"

Ryu is the undisputed No. 1 starting ace this year as well. The first meeting between Hanwha manager Choi Won-ho and Ryu Hyun-jin was held on April 23. Ryu joined the spring camp after completing his joining process at Hanwha on the previous day, and played bullpen pitching from the first day.

Manager Choi Won-ho, who watched the 40-pitch bullpen session, was very satisfied. He also praised his ball control, saying that he would throw well in the mid-140-kilometer range once the season enters. "I have thrown 65 pitches indoors," he said before joining the team. He is in good physical condition. He was confident that he could match the sense of play and the number of balls in the opening game.

Since then, Ryu Hyun-jin has gradually improved his condition by throwing 60 pitches in his second bullpen session and 65 pitches in live pitching on the 2nd. He then pitched in his own Cheongbaek match on the 7th. He pitched well with one hit, one run, and three strikeouts in three innings, his first real game appearance since his return. The maximum speed was 143 kilometers.

Even the automatic ball judging system failed to stop Ryu. On the day, Ryu checked his command by freely stabbing in and out of the zone. "Both strikes and balls went my way except for one ball (changeup thrown against Ha)," Ryu said after the game.

Ryu will play his first exhibition game after his return through the KIA Tigers match on the 12th, unless there is a special problem. He will raise his physical condition according to his schedule and play in the opening game against the LG Twins on the 23rd.

As Ryu Hyun-jin returned to the mound, Hanwha's mound changed dramatically. Initially, Hanwha was planning a rotation to start this season with Peña in mind as the first starter.

However, Ryu Hyun-jin, the undisputed ace and first starter, has returned. When asked about the possibility of his showdown with Kim Kwang-hyun and Yang Hyun-jong, Choi even laughed out loud, saying, "If the opponent avoided it, how could Ryu avoid it?"

Ryu Hyun-jin and Peña will be in charge of one-two punches, while Moon Dong-ju and Sanchez will be in charge of starting the third and fourth rounds. However, it is worrisome that Moon Dong-ju's condition is rarely rising. Although he was scoreless in three innings, his fastball speed, control, and ball power were not the same as usual.

Moon Dong-ju was confident, saying, "It's because the weather is cold. No problem," but Choi Won-ho expressed his concern, saying, "I think we should check it out."

Moon Dong-ju, who played as the third starting pitcher for the Korean aces last year, recorded eight wins and eight losses with an ERA of 3.72. Given his healthy health, he will definitely have one starting spot.

If so, the remaining one digit is the key. Kim Min-woo, the first starting pitcher of the opening game of the past, and Hwang Joon-seo, a rookie pitcher, are competing. Kim Ki-joong, who competed against them through the spring camp, and veteran Jang Min-jae and Lee Tae-yang, who will take charge of the bullpen, are also players who can secure the starting position at any time.

Then, who will be the fifth starter? Choi Won-ho has a happy concern.

For now, he is leaning slightly toward Kim Min-woo. Kim Min-woo pitched in the Blue and White match, following Ryu Hyun-jin, and pitched three scoreless innings. As if to see the effect of training in the U.S. during the off-season, his leaner and solid body shape stood out.

In particular, the maximum speed of the fastball came out to 148 kilometers, and it was impressive to see him being sucked into the catcher's mitt. Manager Choi Won-ho also praised Kim Min-woo's ball very well.

He has ample experience in starting pitchers. He played in more than 130 innings while starting full-time starting pitchers for three consecutive years from 2020 to 2022. Two of them exceeded 150 innings in total. The experience of playing in a single season by oneself is an unparalleled asset. As he unintentionally played the role of ace, he pitched in many difficult matches.

Hwang Joon-seo, on the other hand, is fresh and full of spirit. His fastball over 150 kilometers stands out. It is a resource that will be responsible for Hanwha's future with Moon Dong-ju.

"If Kim Min-woo is in a good condition, we cannot ignore his experiences," Choi said. "(Hwang Jun-seo) is a choice to prepare for a bad situation." Amateur and professional players are both nervous and capable. He also needs time to adapt to the strike zone, which will be relatively narrow, including ABS. He intends to wait and see before the opening of the exhibition game.

Last season, Hanwha's closing pitcher was Park Sang-won, who recorded five wins, three losses and 16 saves with a 3.65 ERA. However, Park has not been confirmed as a closing pitcher.

The Cheongbaek match on the 7th, when Ryu Hyun-jin and Moon Dong-ju faced off as starters, received so much attention that more than 70,000 baseball fans watched it in real time. The ripple effect of Ryu's return is not just Hanwha. The green light has been given to the overall success of professional baseball. 스포츠토토