[breaking news] Ryu Hyun-jin, the starting pitcher against Dominica, said, "The most reliable card → Ryu Hyun-jin!"

*This content was translated by AI.

Korean Monster Ryu Hyun-jin (39, Hanwha Eagles) will be in charge of selecting the Dominican Republic, where the fate of the Korean national baseball team's quarterfinals is at stake.

The Korean national team, led by head coach Ryu Ji-hyun (55), announced Ryu Hyun-jin as the starting pitcher for the 2026 WBC (World Baseball Classic) quarter-final tournament against the Dominican Republic at Rondipo Park in Miami, Florida at 7:30 a.m. on the 14th (Korea time).

At a press conference held on the 13th, a day before the game, coach Ryu Ji-hyun said, "As you know, Dominica is a team of world-class players. It's a team with a lot of superstars. We are well aware, too. I'll have a good game. We will focus and reduce the number of actual pitches," he said. Asked about the background of picking Ryu Hyun-jin as a starter, he said, "It's because it's Ryu Hyun-jin. He explained that he is the most reliable player.

Ryu Hyun-jin played as a starting pitcher in Game 3 of Group C against Taiwan at Tokyo Dome in Japan on the 8th and recorded three hits (one homer) with three strikeouts and one run in three innings.

Ryu Hyun-jin will face Christopher Sanchez (30, Philadelphia Phillies), the top left-hander in the Major League. Sanchez is the ace in name and reality who ranked second in the National League Cy Young Award in the 2025 season. Dominican coach Albert Pujols is wary of South Korea as a "clean team without mistakes," but is aiming for victory with a strong "shield" called Sanchez.

Dominica's batters are also a target of fear. There are many big guns representing Major League Baseball, including Fernando Tatis Jr., Juan Soto, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. said, "Tomorrow is a new day. "I will do everything I can to win," he said.

In response, Ryu Hyun-jin is tasked with quelling Dominica's firepower by using his unique blade control and change-up. In particular, as head coach Pujols is wary of South Korea's "sophisticated small ball," how persistent the South Korean batters will target Sanchez's high-speed sinker while Ryu Hyun-jin holds out on the mound is expected to be the key to the game.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.