*This content was translated by AI.
Even before the excitement of finishing second in the Korean Series in 2025, a huge negative factor hit the mound of Hanwha Eagles. Concerns are growing as the team's starters and key pitchers who supported the bullpen have left the team one after another.
KIA signed a free agent (FA) contract with Kim Bum-soo on the afternoon of the 21st. "We have signed a contract worth a total of 2 billion won, including 500 million won in down payment, 1.2 billion won in annual salary, and 300 million won in incentives during the three-year contract period," he announced. As a result, Hanwha experienced the pain of leaking all the pitchers who showed outstanding performance in the 2025 season to other teams.
In fact, the most painful part is the departure of the so-called "Phone and Duo" of "Cody Ponce and Ryan Weiss," who led Hanwha's high march with a total of 33 wins in the 2025 season. Above all, Ponce, who bombed the KBO league with 17 wins as the first starter, left for the Toronto Blue Jays in the Major League, and Weiss, who has 16 wins, also moved to the Houston Astros and succeeded in re-entering the Major League side by side. Hanwha quickly brought Owen White and Wilkel Hernandez to make a new round, but it does not seem easy to replace the proven 33-win duo at once.
On top of that, the bullpen left for another team. Han Seung-hyuk (33), who had a career high of 3 wins, 3 losses, 3 saves and 16 holds with an ERA of 2.25 in 71 games last year, wore KT Wiz's uniform as a compensation player for recruiting FA batter Kang Baek-ho. Hanwha chose Kang Baek-ho for the weight of the lineup, but it is evaluated that the bleeding that gave up the core resources of the must-win team is considerable.
On top of that, even "left-hand fireballer" Kim Bum-soo left. Kim Bum-soo, who appeared on the FA market, was confirmed to be transferred after a long negotiation. Kim Bum-soo also showed a respectable performance with a 2.25 ERA with 2 wins, 1 loss, 2 saves and 6 holds in 73 games in the 2025 season.
Kim Bum-soo said through the KIA team, "I also deeply thank Hanwha Eagles fans for their support so far since their professional debut." KIA general manager Shim Jae-hak said of Kim Bum-soo, "It is an essential resource for the team as a bullpen pitcher who can overwhelm the opponent's batters based on strong ball power. He explained the background of the recruitment, saying, "We showed good performance by maximizing our strengths last season, and we decided that we have a high growth potential in the future."
As a result, Han Seung-hyuk and Kim Bum-soo, who were symbols of Hanwha's bullpen in the 2025 season, fell out side by side, and Hanwha's back door quickly became loose.
Above all, Hanwha seems to have paid more attention to reinforcing the batter than the pitcher's side this off-season. Following the recruitment of Kang Baek-ho, Jonathan Peraza was reintroduced, and although the batting order is undecided, Moon Hyun-bin, Peraza, Kang Baek-ho, Noh Si-hwan and Chae Eun-sung will be able to form a horror lineup. It is believed that he chose to fill the holes of the pitching staff with strong firepower.
However, as the saying goes, "Baseball is a pitcher's play in the end," the departure of a large number of main pitchers is expected to be a big burden on long-term season management. In the end, Hanwha's 2026 season is likely to be a difficult march unless the "growth" of young pitchers such as Wang Yancheng, who was recruited as an Asian quarter, Kang Jae-min, who returns from Sangmu, and Hwang Joon-seo and Cho Dong-wook are supported. In addition, a rebound of Eom Sang-baek, a FA pitcher recruited ahead of last season, is also needed.
<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>
*This content was translated by AI.
