'Son Ju-young's teammate' LG to Kiwoom, a lucky find who made a surprise start after 10 years in the pros: "The moment I dreamed of, I looked down from the mound..."

*This content was translated by AI.

Kiwoom Heroes right-handed pitcher Oh Seok-joo (28) took the mound for the first time as a starter in his 10th year in the pros, delivering a career-defining performance. It was a valuable effort amid a crisis of a collapsed starting rotation for the team.

Oh Seok-joo made his first start of the season on the 21st at Seoul Gocheok Sky Dome against the NC Dinos in the first game of the '2026 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League'. He pitched 4⅓ innings, allowing 3 hits, striking out 6, walking 4, and giving up 1 earned run, contributing to the team's 2-1 victory. Although he did not meet the criteria for a win, his performance was more than enough to earn high praise from Kiwoom manager Seol Jong-jin (53).

In fact, Oh Seok-joo was drafted by LG in the second round, 52nd overall, in the 2017 rookie draft. He was a promising player who drew expectations alongside current national team left-handed starter Son Ju-young (28). However, his time at LG was not smooth. He failed to leave a significant mark in the first team until 2023 and was left off the protection list in the second draft ahead of the 2024 season. He was eventually selected by Kiwoom in the second round and transferred.

Shortly after joining Kiwoom, Oh struggled in the 2024 season with an ERA of 11.12, appearing to be a failed acquisition. However, last season he emerged as a key reliever for Kiwoom, recording 2 wins, 1 loss, 7 holds, and a 3.70 ERA in 53 games, signaling a turnaround. This season, he seized the opportunity for his first-ever start to fill the team's starting rotation gap. Manager Seol Jong-jin (53) said before the game, "He's a pitcher who usually throws 1 to 2 innings from the bullpen, so if he can pitch well for 3 to 4 innings, he's doing his job well. Even 3 innings would be enough."

On this day, Oh made his 102nd professional appearance and his first start since joining the pros in the 2017 season, but he did not show any signs of nervousness. He started cleanly. After retiring Kim Ju-won with a groundout to shortstop in the top of the first, he retired Oh Young-soo and Park Min-woo to record a three-up, three-down inning.

Oh Seok-joo's ability to handle institutional investors also shone. In the second inning with two outs, he gave up a double to Lee Woo-seong and wavered, but he ended the inning by striking out Kim Hyung-jun with a 139 km/h fastball that resulted in a swing-and-miss. In the third inning, despite a fielding error and a stolen base that left runners at first and third with two outs, he retired foreign hitter Matt Davidson with a strikeout.

Oh left the mound in the fifth inning with one out and runners at first and third, but reliever Won Jong-hyun, who came in next, brought in only one of the inherited runners, limiting Oh's earned runs to one. Kiwoom secured the win with a go-ahead home run by Im Ji-yeol in the bottom of the seventh inning while tied 1-1.

Immediately after the game, Oh Seok-joo said about his first-ever start on the professional stage, "It was my first time on a starting mound, so I was very nervous during the game. It was a moment I had dreamed of, but I tried to prepare with the same mindset as when I pitch from the bullpen."

He continued, "I couldn't feel the difficulty while on the mound, but once I came down, I realized how amazing my teammates who rotate through the starting lineup are," and showed humility.

Although he fell short of two outs to secure his first career start win, Oh remained composed. "I had no ambition for a start win. I focused on each batter, and it led to the team's winning streak, which makes me happy. I want to pitch in the first team all season to help the team win," he added.

After the game, Manager Seol Jong-jin also praised Oh, saying, "Oh Seok-joo pitched bravely and recorded strikeouts at every critical moment, which was impressive. He was the top contributor to today's victory." Oh Seok-joo, acquired for 300 million won in the second draft held in November 2023, is now becoming Kiwoom's surefire winning ticket.

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*This content was translated by AI.