Son Joo-young, who is undergoing elbow examination, said, "Request for replacement as a precaution → I felt heavy, Noh Kyung-eun, thank you so much for the Noh Kyung-eun."

*This content was translated by AI.

"It was a game that ended when you gave a score. I decided that I was not in a situation to be greedy."

Left-hander Son Joo-young (26, LG Twins), who was in charge of starting against Australia, spoke after a disappointing injury. Son Joo-young, who took the mound as a starter in the final group match of the 2026 WBC (World Baseball Classic) against Australia at Tokyo Dome in Japan on the 9th, left the mound on his own after feeling an elbow abnormality during practice pitching in the second inning after one scoreless inning. He threw 27 pitches and had 15 strikes among them.

Son Joo-young, who met in the mixed zone after the game, said of the replacement situation at the time, "I was pitching practice in the second inning, but I felt a little uncomfortable in my elbow area. I threw a little more because I often feel uncomfortable around my elbow, but I was convinced that I couldn't throw it 100% of the time. So I asked for a replacement as a precaution," he explained.

He thought of 'Team' first and foremost. Son Joo-young said, "I thought the game might be over if I throw in a anxious state and lose a point. "I believed it was a cold judgment for the team to tell the coach and the coach right away and come down," he confessed.

Son Joo-young's heart burned after watching the game in the dugout after a sudden steel plate. In particular, he repeatedly thanked veteran Noh Kyung-eun for completely blocking two scoreless innings following his footsteps. Son Joo-young said, "My heart was really heavy, but I was really grateful that Noh Kyung-eun blocked it well," adding, "In fact, since the time I warmed up before the game, my senior said, 'Throw it comfortably, I'll block everything behind you,' but he really kept his promise."

On this day, Son Joo-young confessed that she cried three times. "I cried because I was sorry to see (Cho) Byung-hyun block it so hard in the ninth inning, and I cried again when I was confirmed to the quarterfinals and when I returned to the dugout after that," he said. "All the pitchers have been struggling for two months since Saipan camp, and I was really emotional because I think that desperation worked."

Although he was not responsible for the long innings on the mound, Son Joo-young's heart was hotter than anyone else. "I watched the game with a feeling of praying on my knees at the front of the dugout whenever each defense came out," he said. "I'm sorry that my physical condition didn't follow, but I'm happy that the team members joined forces to produce a miraculous result."

Finally, Son Joo-young said, "I'm so grateful to the team members. He will undergo an elbow examination on the 10th, the day after the game. I hope it comes out in good condition, and I will rest well so that it can be helpful to the team again," he said and left the stadium.

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*This content was translated by AI.