'After circling back, first professional win in 9th year of signing' Hyun Do-hoon, moved: "I endured the hard times thanks to my wife → Thank you so much and I love you ♥"

*This content was translated by AI.

Lotte Giants pitcher Hyun Do-hoon finally tasted the thrill of his first professional debut win. It is a precious achievement accomplished after a full 9 years since he first stepped onto the professional stage as a development player in 2018.

On the 28th, in a game against the Kiwoom Heroes at Sajik Stadium, Hyun Do-hoon entered as a relief pitcher and perfectly shut down the opposition for 2 scoreless innings, leading his team to a 5-4 victory and becoming the first winning pitcher of his professional debut.

Entering in the bottom of the 6th inning with the score tied 2-2, Hyun Do-hoon came on, and his team scored 3 runs in the top of the 6th, creating the conditions for a win. Although he allowed 2 runs in the 9th inning and faced a chase, he did not give up the lead to Kiwoom. This was Hyun Do-hoon's first win in 20 games across his first-division career. If counted from the time he entered the professional stage with the Doosan Bears in 2018, it has been 8 years.

Immediately after the game ended, Hyun Do-hoon received enthusiastic congratulations from his teammates. After being drenched with water, he faced the press for an interview, unable to hide his excited expression. When asked for his thoughts on the victory, he shared, "It feels like I've come a long way, but by my own standards, it also feels like it came quickly."

Hyun Do-hoon's baseball career was never smooth, from leaving for studies in Japan during high school, to playing for an independent league team, and enduring two releases while with Doosan. When Hyun Do-hoon donned the Lotte uniform in 2023, the first person he thought of immediately after his first win was unhesitatingly his "wife."

When asked by StarNews to name the first person who came to mind during this emotional moment, Hyun Do-hoon said, "It's my wife. Thanks to her, I was able to endure the hard times, and she supported and cheered for me from behind so I could play the baseball I love. I want to tell her how grateful and how much I love her," showing off his loving side.

Hyun Do-hoon, who reconnected with manager Kim Tae-hyung, whom he had met during his Doosan days, while at Lotte, expressed joy that he has recently been frequently praised by the manager with "nice pitching." Recalling the period last season when he did not appear in a single first-division game, Hyun Do-hoon stated, "It was quite difficult. Still, I didn't think about anything else and just worked hard. Of course, I worked hard in training, and it helped that I did a lot of 'mental work' externally."

He added, "I think I also prepared diligently during the off-season. I had a plan, and it feels like the things I did are coming true one by one. I think it's good that I had positive thoughts and things seem to be going well."

Hyun Do-hoon has continued a scoreless streak for 5 consecutive games, including the match on the 28th. On this day, his fastball reached a top speed of 146 km/h against Kiwoom batters. Although he is a relief pitcher, he mixes his fastball with cutters, forkballs, and sweepers, allowing no hits and only one walk.

Finally, Hyun Do-hoon said, "Rather than being greedy, I tried to understand the catchers' signs well and pitch according to their intentions. Our team's catchers study very hard," and pledged to steadily fulfill his role in the future.

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*This content was translated by AI.