'First SV in KBO History' Japanese Yuto Kanakubo's Honest Confession: "I Was Dizzy When TOP of BIGBANG, the League's Best Contact Hitter, Hit My Final Forkball"

*This content was translated by AI.

Yuto Kanakubo (27), the "Japanese-born" Asian quota right-handed pitcher for the Kiwoom Heroes, has set a new milestone in KBO League history. As the first pitcher to join under the Asian quota system introduced for the 2026 season, he recorded his first save, leading Kiwoom to their first consecutive victory.

On the 21st, Kiwoom defeated the NC Dinos 2-1 in a home game at Seoul Gocheok Sky Dome in the '2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League'. With scoreless relief pitching from all bullpen pitchers and a go-ahead home run by Lim Ji-yeol, Kiwoom secured the win. Following their victory over Suwon KT on the 19th, Kiwoom extended their winning streak to two games, closing the gap to 0.5 games behind 9th-place Lotte and laying the foundation for a mid-table breakthrough.

The hero who sealed the victory for Kiwoom was Yuto. Entering the mound in the bottom of the 9th inning with his team leading 2-1, Yuto struck out Kim Hyung-jun and Cheon Jae-hwan cleanly. However, after two outs, he issued a walk to Kim Ju-won and allowed a ground ball single to Shin Jae-in, putting runners on first and second.

Nevertheless, he secured the win by getting the final batter, Park Min-woo, to fly out to right field. With a favorable 2-strike-1-ball count, Yuto threw a 138 km/h forkball to induce a swing and miss, but the ball was put in play. Fortunately, it did not result in a hit, though it appeared to be a line drive at the moment of contact.

After the game, Yuto expressed, "I am truly happy to record my first save in Korea. It is also my first save in my entire baseball career. My condition has been consistently good, and although there were some risky moments, I am glad I held the line without allowing any runs."

Regarding the tense situation in the bottom of the 9th with two outs, Yuto shared his honest feelings. He particularly reflected on his duel with the final batter, Park Min-woo, and expressed relief. When asked by StarNews whether he was aware that "Park Min-woo is the league's best contact hitter (with a career batting average of 0.319 as of the 22nd)," Yuto replied, "I learned about it during our scouting meetings. I threw my final pitch, a forkball, and when Park Min-woo made solid contact and sent the ball to the outfield, I was truly dizzy."

After going through an adjustment period early in the season, Yuto has shown a clear upward trend, with his fastball velocity reaching up to 154 km/h. Kiwoom manager Seol Jong-jin (53) also announced on the 21st that starting from the game against NC, he would move existing closer Kim Jae-woong to the 8th-inning setup role and install Yuto as the new closer. Coincidentally, a save situation arose immediately after Yuto's role change, and he ultimately did not allow any runs.

Yuto analyzed, "In the early part of the season, I relied more on breaking balls than fastballs and gave up many hits. Now, I have gained confidence that my fastball is effective." He added, "The adjustment to aggressively attack high pitches using the ABS (Automatic Ball-Strike System) has been highly effective."

Yuto also expressed satisfaction with his life in Korea. When asked about his experience, he smiled and said, "It has been truly enjoyable. I especially love seasoned Galbi, so I often go to eat it." Finally, he stated, "Although the team is still in the lower standings, we have not given up on our championship goal. No matter the situation, I will step onto the mound with confidence and throw my pitches to contribute to the team's victory." Manager Seol Jong-jin also offered heartfelt encouragement immediately after the game, saying, "I sincerely congratulate Yuto on his first save."

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*This content was translated by AI.