'How could this be?' A historic compensation player explodes → Why did Hanwha give up on this pitcher? The monster pitcher with 12 consecutive scoreless innings delivers a 'masterful' performance.

*This content was translated by AI.

He was not listed on the protection roster of the Hanwha Eagles and eventually moved to the KT Wiz as a compensation player. Now, wearing a new uniform, he is the protagonist showing 'historic' performances as a compensation player. It is none other than fireballer Han Seung-hyeok (33).

On the 23rd, KT secured an 8-3 victory over the KIA Tigers in a 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular-season home game held at Suwon KT Wiz Park. With this win, KT recorded 16 wins and 6 losses, taking sole possession of first place in the league. Meanwhile, KIA finished with 10 wins and 12 losses, maintaining sole fifth place in the league standings.

In the bottom of the 8th inning on this day, with KT leading 7-3, a 4-run lead. In a score margin where no one could afford to relax, the pitcher who took the mound was Han Seung-hyeok.

KIA's batting order began with the 4th batter, Kim Do-young. Facing the KBO League's top hitter, Han Seung-hyeok confidently threw pitches. He threw a 149 km/h strike on the first pitch, followed by a slider on the second and a curveball on the third, both fouled off. Then, he threw a curveball inside on the fourth pitch, completely stealing the batter's timing and inducing a swing-and-miss strikeout.

The next batter was foreign hitter Castro. Han Seung-hyeok threw a ball on the first pitch, then induced a foul with a fastball on the second. The velocity of that second fastball reached 150 km/h, his fastest of the day. The third pitch was a strike, giving Han a favorable 1-2 count. He then threw two more balls, bringing the count to full. On the sixth pitch, Castro's bat was dragged by Han's slider, resulting in a groundout to first base. Two outs.

The next batter was Na Sung-beom. Na swung and missed at the first pitch, a forkball. The second pitch was also a forkball, but it was a ball. The third pitch was a slider strike. The fourth pitch was a curveball ball. Han Seung-hyeok, who had not thrown a single one of his signature fastballs, then threw a curveball on the fifth pitch. The pitch landed precisely in the low strike zone, and Na swung and missed. Three up, three down. The inning ended. Ultimately, KT added one run in the bottom of the 8th and secured a comfortable 8-3 victory.

Han Seung-hyeok has appeared in 13 games this season, recording 1 win, 0 losses, 5 holds, and an ERA of 1.50. Over a total of 12 innings, he has allowed 9 hits, 7 walks, and recorded 14 strikeouts, with 4 runs allowed (2 earned). His innings per baserunner allowed (WHIP) stands at 1.33, and his batting average against is 0.196, posting outstanding statistics. In particular, after allowing 2 runs (2 earned) in 2/3 innings in the season opener against the LG Twins on the 28th of last month, he has now pitched 12 consecutive scoreless games.

The 'Iron Magic' pitch is significant. Lee Kang-cheol, the KT manager and one of Korea's top pitching experts, smiled brightly during an interview with reporters ahead of the first game of the midweek three-game series against KIA, saying about Han Seung-hyeok, "This season, we have been able to build our bullpen with pitchers who can throw over 150 km/h." He added, "(Han) Seung-hyeok is doing his role well. We try not to make him pitch multiple innings unless necessary. Last season, he was doing well but declined after handling multiple innings. If managed properly, he will fulfill his role this season," expressing his expectations.

At the end of November last year, KT selected Han Seung-hyeok, one of the key relievers who led Hanwha to the Korean Series that year, as a compensation player for free agent Kang Baek-ho who left for Hanwha. In the 2025 season, Han Seung-hyeok appeared in 71 games (64 innings), recording 3 wins, 3 losses, 16 holds, 3 saves, an ERA of 2.25, and 53 strikeouts. It was a career-high season. When acquiring Han Seung-hyeok, KT General Manager Na Doo-hyun stated, "This is an acquisition to strengthen the depth of our pitching staff," and added, "He is an immediate asset with powerful fastballs reaching up to 154 km/h and strong breaking balls. We expect him to create synergy with our existing pitching resources." Since the trade, Han Seung-hyeok has continued to deliver his best performances, perfectly meeting the expectations of KT fans.

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*This content was translated by AI.