'Batting average against=Ryu Hyun-jin' Why are the results different? 'ERA 9.00—23.6 pitches per inning' Kim Seo-hyun's utilization is not visible

*This content was translated by AI.

Although he recorded 33 saves last year and emerged as one of the league's top closers, that momentum has not continued. Concerns are growing over Hanwha Eagles' Kim Seo-hyun (22).

On the 26th, Kim Seo-hyun took the mound in the seventh inning of a 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League home game against the NC Dinos at Daejeon Hanwha Life Park, when both teams were tied 3-3. After issuing a walk, he surrendered a go-ahead two-run home run to Ahn Jung-yeol and took the loss.

As a result, Kim Seo-hyun has recorded one win, two losses, and one save in 11 games this season, pitching 8 innings with an ERA of 9.00.

A closer look at the statistics reveals Kim Seo-hyun's problems in full. His batting average against is 0.233, the same as Ryu Hyun-jin. This still means his pitches are powerful to batters.

The problem lies in his control. He threw 189 pitches over 8 innings, averaging 23.6 pitches per inning. This indicates he has been forced into difficult battles with batters. He issued 14 walks, amounting to 15.75 per nine innings. His walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP) stands at 2.63, meaning he has allowed an average of more than two baserunners per inning. He is essentially making things difficult for himself.

Kim Seo-hyun, selected first overall by Hanwha in 2023, signed for a signing bonus of 500 million won. He was a pitcher with high expectations.

However, he struggled with control from the start of his debut and could not secure a spot in the first team until mid-2024. When Manager Kim Kyung-moon took over, he showed consideration to allow Kim Seo-hyun to pitch more comfortably, and from the latter half of the season, he became a reliable reliever.

Last year, he served as the team's closer and finished second in the league with 33 saves. But perhaps because it was his first full season, there was a significant difference between the first and second halves of the season. In the first half, he recorded 22 saves with an ERA of 1.55, showing exceptional form, but in the second half, he recorded 11 saves with an ERA of 5.68, showing significant instability.

In particular, he suffered a painful defeat after allowing two home runs in a game against the SSG Landers near the end of the season, and the impact of that shockwave lasted quite a while. He also experienced severe slumps during the autumn playoffs.

Despite this, Kim Seo-hyun started the season as the closer. He pitched scoreless in his first game, but allowed three runs in a game against the KT Wiz on the 1st. He then pitched four consecutive scoreless games, appearing to find his rhythm, but on the 14th, he faced a shocking result against the Samsung Lions.

He committed seven walks and hit three runs, ultimately taking the loss. Afterward, Manager Kim Kyung-moon temporarily handed the closing role to temporary replacement foreign pitcher Jack Cushing. Kim Seo-hyun stated he would regain his form in a psychologically comfortable environment.

Perhaps due to that influence, Kim Seo-hyun continued to pitch scoreless in the following three games, but once again suffered a painful result.

Of the 13th pitches thrown, only seven were strikes, which was not a high rate, and the balls were far outside the strike zone. For batters, it was not difficult to pick out the balls. As a result, he became obsessed with the idea that he needed to attack the strike zone more after issuing a walk, and Ahn Jung-yeol, taking advantage of this, swung at the first pitch and hit a go-ahead two-run home run.

There is no clear sign of when Kim Seo-hyun can be utilized. For now, he is not helping the team at all. Although he still possesses powerful pitches, he is unable to leverage his weapons as strengths.

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

*This content was translated by AI.