'155㎞→141㎞' Velocity Plummets↓ Mystery→KIA Fireballer Under Scrutiny 'Even With an Undisclosed FA Contract...' Manager's Diagnosis

*This content was translated by AI.

Jo Sang-woo (32), a fireballer who once threw fastballs exceeding 155 km/h, is experiencing a mysterious decline in velocity.

On the 23rd, KIA lost 3-8 to KT Wiz in an away game at Suwon KT Wiz Park during the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular season. KIA maintained its sole fifth-place position in the league with a record of 10 wins and 12 losses.

Most critically, this defeat sent KIA into a five-game losing streak. After surging with an eight-game winning streak, the team appeared to be on an upward trajectory, but after dropping two of three games against Doosan Bears last weekend, they were swept by KT.

Especially painful was the bullpen's instability on the 21st and 22nd. Among them, Jo Sang-woo wavered in two consecutive games. On the 21st, he pitched one inning, allowing one hit, striking out one, and giving up one run (one earned run). On the 22nd, he failed to record a single out, allowing two hits and two runs (one earned run), hanging his head in defeat.

Notably, on the 22nd, he threw only four pitches, with his fastest fastball clocking in at just 143 km/h. His slowest fastball was 141 km/h. Such velocity would have been unimaginable during Jo's fireballer days. He is failing to dominate batters at all.

Jo has appeared in 10 games this season, posting a record of 1 win, 1 loss, and 2 holds with an ERA of 2.72. Over a total of 9⅔ innings, he has allowed 11 hits, issued 3 walks, recorded 6 strikeouts, surrendered 7 runs (4 earned runs), blown 2 saves, posted a WHIP of 1.45, and held batters to a .297 batting average.

How does Lee Beom-ho, the manager of KIA, view Jo Sang-woo's current condition?

Ahead of the 23rd game against KT in Suwon, Manager Lee commented on Jo's velocity: "(His velocity) hasn't dropped. As he keeps finding himself in increasingly difficult situations, it seems to have affected him psychologically. Looking solely at velocity, when his fastball is at its best, it reaches 147 km/h to 148 km/h. When it's not at its best, it clocks in at 144 km/h to 145 km/h. It seems to be a result of facing such difficult situations."

Continuing, Manager Lee said, "He is a friend we must support. There are times when he delivers, and times when he struggles." He added, "We have played about 20 games so far, with no game simply swept away; most have been closely contested. As a result, he seems to be facing many psychologically difficult situations. We are a bit concerned about that, but still, our pitchers are good friends even in terms of psychology, so I believe they will overcome it well," conveying a message of encouragement.

After becoming a free agent (FA) following the 2025 season, Jo Sang-woo unexpectedly remained with KIA in January of last year. The contract term was two years, with a total value of 1.5 billion won (500 million won signing bonus, 800 million won annual salary, and 200 million won in incentives). However, hidden within the contract details KIA disclosed was an undisclosed, so-called secret (?) agreement—a type of option. After two seasons, if Jo performs well, KIA would have the right to negotiate first; if Jo wishes to sign with another team, KIA would release him without exercising a retention right. At the time, many evaluations suggested this would serve as a significant motivation for Jo.

However, his start this season has been somewhat unstable. Jo likely has a strong desire to be re-evaluated in two years with his market value further increased. KIA, for its part, opted not to guarantee four years outright but instead chose to observe for two more years. The best-case scenario is that Jo delivers outstanding performances over two seasons, securing favorable treatment in priority negotiations with KIA. Conversely, if he fails to show any notable results over the two years, his value can only decrease further.

KIA General Manager Sim Jae-hak stated after signing Jo to an FA contract, "Jo recorded the most holds on the team last season and performed as a reliable reliever. He is an essential player for our team, and we expect him to continue safeguarding victories in crucial moments this season, providing great strength to our bullpen." Will Jo be able to showcase the powerful pitching of his fireballer days once again?

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

*This content was translated by AI.