'159km' Park Jun-hyeon: Kiwoom Manager's Deep Wish "Even If You Give Up Runs, Just Pitch 5 Innings! You Can Pitch Comfortably"

*This content was translated by AI.

Seol Jong-jin (53), manager of the Kiwoom Heroes, expressed firm trust and warm encouragement toward rookie Park Jun-hyeon (19), who is set to start against the Doosan Bears on the 3rd. Manager Seol wants Park to confidently throw his pitches without worrying about whether he gives up runs, fulfilling his role as a starting pitcher. Above all, since his fastest pitch reaches 159 km/h and he possesses such excellent stuff, he said there is nothing better than pitching as he did in his debut game.

Manager Seol Jong-jin provided specific guidelines on Park Jun-hyeon's pitching plan during a pre-game interview held ahead of the home game against Doosan at Gocheok Sky Dome in Guro-gu, Seoul, on the 3rd, as part of the '2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League'.

When asked about his expectations for Park Jun-hyeon, Manager Seol said, "Even if you give up runs, as a starting pitcher, I hope you can take responsibility for at least 5 innings," emphasizing the importance of enduring the innings. He repeatedly conveyed the message, "You can pitch comfortably," showing careful consideration to relieve the pressure that a rookie player might feel.

Park Jun-hyeon made his first division debut on April 26 in the Gocheok Samsung game, starting as a pitcher for the first time. He delivered an outstanding performance with 5 innings, 4 hits allowed, 4 strikeouts, 4 walks, and 0 earned runs, earning the win. In the 44th-year history of the KBO, only 13 times has a high school graduate rookie become a winning pitcher in their debut game, including Park Jun-hyeon. This demonstrated his potential as the number one overall pick in the 2026 rookie draft.

On this day, Kiwoom lined up its starting lineup as follows: Park Ju-hong (center fielder), Choi Ju-hwan (first baseman), Ahn Chi-hong (designated hitter), Im Byung-wook (right fielder), Brooks (left fielder), Yang Hyeon-jong (third baseman), Kwon Hyuk-bin (shortstop), Song Ji-hoo (second baseman), and Kim Jae-hyun (catcher).

Most notably, Park Ju-hong, who had been sidelined due to a sprained left thumb and missed the at-bats on the 1st and 2nd, made his return to the starting lineup. Placing more threatening batters like Choi Ju-hwan, Ahn Chi-hong, and Im Byung-wook higher in the batting order also provides strength to Park Jun-hyeon.

Doosan's starting pitcher facing them is Kwak Bin (27). Kwak Bin is also a national team fireballer who has reached a top speed of 158 km/h. A showdown of high-speed pitches is expected at Gocheok.

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*This content was translated by AI.