*This content was translated by AI.
Kiwoom Heroes' ace An Woo-jin (27) finally smiled after four games this season. It wasn't just about securing a win. He had regained his lost "true pitching feel" from his prime.
On the 2nd, An Woo-jin started the home game against the Doosan Bears at Gocheok Sky Dome in Guro-gu, Seoul, in the 2026 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League. He pitched five innings, allowing three hits, striking out five, and giving up two runs (one earned). Kiwoom won 4-2, and An Woo-jin tasted the joy of being a winning pitcher for the first time in 981 days since August 25, 2023, in a game against Samsung.
After overcoming injuries and military service issues, An Woo-jin returned this season and gradually increased his innings under strict management. Starting with one inning against Lotte on April 12, he underwent a step-by-step "build-up," pitching two innings against Suwon KT and three innings against Gocheok Samsung.
In his fourth game, An Woo-jin boldly decided to pitch five innings. The result was a great success. He efficiently threw 67 pitches to cover five innings, announcing the return of the ace.
Immediately after the Doosan game, An Woo-jin met with reporters and made an unexpected confession. The first three games since his return were not satisfactory to him personally. An Woo-jin said, "I didn't feel like I pitched with my own touch in the previous games. Although people around me said the 160km pitch in the first game against Lotte was great, I personally felt it didn't feel like the old days. I thought it took time for my body to adapt to pitching like this."
While preparing for his start, after consulting with the team's strength analysis unit and pitching coach, he found the answer in his "left foot." An Woo-jin said, "I tried slightly opening my front foot a bit more, and it became easier to throw. I'm glad today felt the most similar to my old touch." He reflected that the biggest takeaway from the game was not the 158km fastball he recorded, but the confidence that he could throw the kind of pitch he wanted.
An Woo-jin's maximum pitch count for the day was 80. However, since he had thrown only 67 pitches after five innings, there was a possibility of extending to six innings. Nevertheless, Kiwoom manager Seol Jong-jin (53) replaced An Woo-jin as soon as the sixth inning began. Regarding this, An Woo-jin explained, "I didn't want to overexert myself either. I tend to focus more on recovery and the next game, which is why I did. My body is still in the adaptation phase, so my recovery speed isn't as fast as before. I need to properly loosen up any tight muscles."
Although it was a precious victory after 981 days, the Kiwoom dugout was unusually quiet after the game. There was no "water shower" to disrupt An Woo-jin's interview, nor any loud celebration.
The reason was An Woo-jin's "request." An Woo-jin said, "I told them not to do it because I don't like getting wet. (Oh) Seok-joo asked if he could spray water, but I politely declined," he smiled while sharing the behind-the-scenes story.
An Woo-jin also made sure to pass the winning pitcher's ball to his teammates. He said, "I'm so grateful to (Kwon) Hyuk-bin and (Yang) Hyun-jong for hitting timely home runs when we were losing. I only pitched five innings and gave up two runs, but I could become the winning pitcher thanks to the bullpen. They were so stable that I could watch comfortably. The team was in a difficult situation, so I'm even happier that we secured a win."
Manager Seol Jong-jin also expressed his joy, saying, "An Woo-jin handled five innings well. Although he gave up runs, he fulfilled his role within the planned pitch count. I sincerely congratulate him on his first win since returning. Park Jeong-hoon, who came in next, shut out the opposition for two innings, and veteran Won Jong-hyun and closer Yoo-to did their jobs perfectly."
Having completed a successful return report, An Woo-jin is now preparing to activate his full "ace mode" by gradually increasing his pitch count and innings. An Woo-jin said, "I haven't received a schedule for my next start yet, but I plan to pitch six innings starting from the next game. I also intend to increase my pitch count to around 70 or 80," hinting at future performances.
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*This content was translated by AI.
