Lee Kang-chul also expressed considerable curiosity: "An Woo-jin, it's been a while since we've had a good show to watch. Bae Dong-hyun also had the ball staying low to the ground."

*This content was translated by AI.

KT Wiz manager Lee Kang-chul (60) showed caution ahead of the game against the Kiwoom Heroes on the 18th, specifically regarding the opposing pitchers An Woo-jin (27) and Bae Dong-hyun (28). He not only praised An Woo-jin but also heaped high praise on Bae Dong-hyun, who is scheduled to appear later in the game.

Manager Lee Kang-chul, when asked about facing starting pitcher An Woo-jin ahead of the '2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League' game against the Kiwoom Heroes at Suwon KT Wiz Park on the 18th, responded: ""Today, he's just a pitcher we'll face briefly, but we need to be careful when we meet him again. We're trying to keep things relaxed even for today. Still, it'll be a good show after a long time. As I mentioned yesterday, even though he's on the opposing team, he's truly an excellent pitcher.""

An Woo-jin will face KT on the 18th. For KT, which is aiming for a four-game winning streak, this is a somewhat difficult opponent. However, he is expected to pitch up to two innings with around 40 pitches. As the second pitcher, Bae Dong-hyun will appear, just as he did in the Lotte game on the 12th at Gocheok. Bae Dong-hyun is also considered a difficult pitcher who has already secured three wins and is regarded as a stable pitcher.

Regarding Bae Dong-hyun, Manager Lee Kang-chul stated: ""I saw him, and he was truly impressive. In my view, his RPM (ball rotation rate) is excellent, and the ball seems to stay low to the ground. Both his changeup and slider are effective. He performs well against left-handed batters and is also effective against right-handed batters."" He offered this assessment befitting the league's top pitching expert while expressing caution.

Meanwhile, KT set its starting lineup as follows: Choi Won-jun (right fielder), Kim Sang-soo (second baseman), Kim Hyun-soo (first baseman), Jang Sung-woo (designated hitter), Hilliard (left fielder), Bae Jung-dae (center fielder), Jang Jun-won (third baseman), Han Seung-taek (catcher), and Lee Kang-min (shortstop). Regarding Hilliard, who hit a home run for the first time in a while during the previous day's (17th) game, Manager Lee Kang-chul explained the reason for placing him in the heart of the lineup: ""As long as he can produce an in-play hit, that's sufficient. His plate discipline is also quite good, so he should do well.""

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*This content was translated by AI.