"Just throw five innings" ends with 'ball, ball, ball, ball, ball, ball' → 5 runs allowed → pulled in the 2nd inning... Hwang Jun-seo's long and distant dream of becoming the fifth starter [Daejeon]

*This content was translated by AI.

"I hope he can fulfill his role through the 5th inning."

There was hope that this season would be different, and he showed that possibility over five games. He took the mound with expectations of securing a spot as the fifth starter by completing five innings for the first time this season, but the result was the worst.

Hwang Jun-seo (21, Hanwha Eagles) started against the SSG Landers in a 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League home game at Daejeon Hanwha Life Bolpark on the 29th, pitching 1⅔ innings while allowing 2 hits (1 home run), issuing 6 walks, recording 1 strikeout, and giving up 5 runs before being pulled.

Selected first overall by Hanwha in the 2024 rookie draft, Hwang Jun-seo struggled with physical issues over the past two seasons, finishing with an ERA in the 5th-point range for two consecutive years, leaving fans disappointed.

Ahead of this season, he gained weight, and that strength began to translate to his pitches. He further refined his breaking balls, showing strong form early in the season. Moving between the rotation and the bullpen, he went 1-1 with a 3.38 ERA in five games.

He secured a victory in a grueling 10-inning extra-inning game the previous day, but used all of his reliable relievers. Hwang Jun-seo needed to pitch as many innings as possible today. Before the game, Hanwha manager Kim Kyung-moon said, "I hope he can fulfill his role through the 5th inning. After that, it will depend on the situation whether another pitcher will be ready." He added, "Since we won a tough game yesterday, I think we should step back a bit today, watch Jun-seo pitch, and adjust his pitch count accordingly."

He allowed a walk in the first inning but quickly got out of trouble with a foul fly to shortstop by Choi Jeong with one out and a runner on first, and a swinging strikeout of Guillermo Heredia.

He could not maintain that momentum through the second inning. After a seven-pitch battle with leadoff hitter Han Yu-seom, he issued a walk, and then allowed a single to left field by Choi Ji-hoon. He seemed to catch his breath by getting Ryu Hyo-seung out on a foul fly to third base, but a 125 mph forkball thrown to Oh Tae-gon drifted inside and became a three-run home run over the left-center field wall.

It was still early in the game, and he needed to pitch more innings for pitching management reasons. However, even after the runners were cleared, he could not find stability in the renewed at-bats. After issuing a straight fastball walk to Jo Hyung-woo, the coaching staff visited the mound, and he issued another walk even after a full count.

The Hanwha bench found it difficult to make a move. Park Jun-young was on standby, but they could not make a rash decision to replace the pitcher. After issuing another walk to An Sang-hyun, it seemed luck was on their side when third baseman Noh Si-hwan perfectly fielded a well-hit ball by Choi Jeong, but Heredia was walked again after a full-count battle, eventually leading to an additional run via a bases-loaded walk.

Eventually, the Hanwha bench made a move and brought in Park Jun-young. Park Jun-young, who suddenly entered with two outs and the bases loaded, also struggled with control and recorded a bases-loaded walk. Hwang Jun-seo's earned runs increased to five. It was a blessing in disguise that he ended the inning by getting Choi Ji-hoon out on a fly ball to second base.

Hwang Jun-seo's ERA skyrocketed to 6.57 in an instant. His walks per nine innings also surged to 8.76. For Hanwha, which is searching for a fifth starter candidate while Owen White is out due to injury, the situation has become even more concerning.

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*This content was translated by AI.