Hanwha Ryu Hyun-jin Starts KBO Opening Game

Hanwha Ryu Hyun-jin Starts KBO Opening Game for the First Time in 12 Years… SSG Kim Kwang-hyun also Sorties

Among the 10 starting pitchers in the opening game, 8 are foreigners

‘Korea’s best pitcher of the 21st century’ Ryu Hyun-jin (37, Hanwha Eagles) stands on the mound at Jamsil Baseball Stadium and announces the start of the 2024 Korean Professional Baseball KBO League.

At the Korea Professional Baseball 2024 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO Media Day held at the Lotte Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul on the 22nd, Hanwha coach Choi Won-ho said, “The starting pitcher for the opening game is Ryu Hyun-jin, who ‘is not on any other team.’” 사설 토토사이트

Ryu Hyun-jin will start the regular season opening game against the ‘defending champion’ LG Twins at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on the 23rd.

This is the first time Ryu Hyun-jin starts in the KBO League opening game in 12 years since 2012, just before advancing to the Major League Baseball (MLB).

Ryu Hyun-jin pitched in 186 games in MLB over 11 years from 2013 to 2023, posting a record of 78 wins, 48 ​​losses, 1 save, and an ERA of 3.27.

Ryu Hyun-jin, who emphasized several times, “I will return to Hanwha while I still have strength,” kept his promise by returning to Hanwha after 12 years.

In this year’s exhibition game, he showed off his unique and sophisticated ball control, allowing 9 hits and 3 runs (average ERA 3.00) in 9 innings in 2 games, and striking out 9.

He showed off his prowess as a ‘monster pitcher’ without yet using 100% of his strength.

Ryu Hyun-jin first appeared as an ‘opening game starter’ in 2007, his second year in the KBO League, and also announced the start of the regular season in 2008, 2009, 2011, and 2012.

However, in the KBO opening game, he received a report card that did not live up to his reputation.

Ryu Hyun-jin’s KBO opening game record is 1 win, 3 losses, and an average ERA of 5.81.

They only won against SK Wyverns (now SSG Landers) in 2009, and struggled in every opening game.

If he breaks the jinx in his 6th KBO opening game appearance, he will be able to win as a starter in the KBO opening game for the first time in 15 years.

Ryu Hyun-jin, who has 98 wins in his KBO League career (52 losses, 1 save, ERA 2.80), is aiming for his 99th win, the same number as his jersey number.

Coincidentally, Jamsil Stadium is where the ‘birth of a monster pitcher’ was announced.

Ryu Hyun-jin’s KBO debut opponent was also LG.

Ryu Hyun-jin made his debut spectacularly in the game against Jamsil LG on April 12, 2006, pitching 7⅓ innings, allowing 3 hits, no runs, and striking out 10.

After dominating the KBO League, he moved to the United States and set a record as the first Korean to appear as a starter in the MLB opening game for three consecutive years (2020-2022).

Korean fans will be able to see Ryu Hyun-jin, who returned from his brilliant life in the United States, from the first day of the 2024 season.

In his match against LG, Ryu Hyun-jin overwhelmed his opponent with a total of 22 wins, 8 losses, and an average ERA of 2.36.

However, LG’s batting lineup is completely different now than it was 12 years ago.

Last year, LG ranked first in this category with OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 0.755.

There is no power leak in the batting lineup, so we are looking forward to a head-to-head match with Ryu Hyun-jin.

LG, which won the combined championship (regular league and Korean series championship) last year, will select left-handed Detrick Enns, who has experience playing American and Japanese baseball, as the starter in the opening game.

SSG left-handed ace Gwang-Hyun Kim will start the opening game for the second consecutive year and the fifth time in his career.

The pitcher who will face Gwang-Hyun Kim as the starting pitcher at SSG Landers Field in Incheon is Aaron Wilkerson (Lotte Giants).

In Suwon, William Cuevas (KT Wiz) and Connor Siebold (Samsung Lions) will clash, and in Changwon, Kyle Hart (NC Dinos) and Raul Alcantara (Doosan Bears) will clash.

Alcantara took on the important role of starting the opening game for two consecutive years.

KIA coach Lee Beom-ho, the youngest head coach, predicted Will Crowe as the starter for the opening game at home in Gwangju, while Kiwoom Heroes coach Hong Won-ki, who is trying to regain his reputation, announced Ariel Jurado as the starter.

In the end, in the opening game on the 23rd, eight foreign pitchers will serve as starting pitchers, including the left-handed duo Hyun-jin Ryu and Kwang-hyun Kim, who represent Korean baseball.