'An Woo-jin's classmate' Kwak Bin's honest confession: "I'm not stimulated by Woo-jin's great pitching! Our levels are different → It's not humility, it's true respect"

*This content was translated by AI.

Doosan Bears' 'right-handed ace' Kwak Bin (27) expressed his unique respect for An Woo-jin (27, Kiwoom Heroes), a 'classmate' and fellow 'right-handed ace' who represents the KBO League, on a joyful occasion leading his team to victory.

On the 3rd, Kwak Bin made a start against Kiwoom Heroes at Gocheok Sky Dome in Guro-gu, Seoul, delivering an outstanding performance with 6 innings, 6 hits allowed (1 home run), 9 strikeouts, 1 walk, and 2 earned runs, achieving a quality start (a starting pitcher pitching at least 6 innings with 3 or fewer earned runs) and leading Doosan to a decisive victory.

Kwak Bin, who threw 107 pitches that day, showcased an incredible display with his fastball reaching a top speed of 157 km/h. His average fastball speed was even 153 km/h, demonstrating the qualities of a top-tier 'fireballer' in the league. Among the 107th pitches, only 34 were balls, highlighting his stable control. His cutter also reached a top speed of 154 km/h, rarely allowing solid contact from opposing batters.

After the game, Kwak Bin met with reporters and offered a serious yet witty answer to questions about his 'same-age rival' An Woo-jin, who recently returned after recovering from an injury.

One of the main topics of the interview was Kiwoom's An Woo-jin, who made an impressive return to the rotation the previous day (2nd) after completing all his buildup, pitching 5 innings with 3 hits allowed, 5 strikeouts, 2 earned runs (1 earned run). Known to be close friends with An Woo-jin since being drafted together in the 2018 rookie draft, Kwak Bin shook his head and smiled when asked if he was stimulated by An Woo-jin's return.

Kwak Bin said, "I'm not stimulated even if (Ahn) Woo-jin pitches well. Woo-jin is originally a player on a different 'level' than me," offering high praise. He added, "Personally, he is the pitcher I respect the most after Senior Ryu Hyun-jin (39, Hanwha Eagles) in the 2006 season. It's not just because of our personal relationship, nor is it humility. I genuinely respect him as a pitcher."

Kwak Bin also expressed surprise at An Woo-jin's quick adaptation. He said, "It took me 10 games to get my first win, but Woo-jin already secured his first win in just 4 games since returning this season, and his stuff has fully recovered." He further evaluated, "It's truly amazing that he showed such performance immediately after a three-year gap and rehabilitation."

Meanwhile, on this day, while showcasing arm strength comparable to An Woo-jin's fastball, Kwak Bin emphasized 'team' over 'records.' When asked if he had any desire for a 160 km/h fastball, he replied, "Personally, I feel more excitement about precise control that hits the strike zone accurately rather than the number 160 km/h." He stated his ambition, "It is most important that my team wins in the games I start. I will focus more on managing innings and ERA rather than personal win counts, fulfilling my responsibility as a starting pitcher."

Kwak Bin, who has recorded a quality start (QS) in five consecutive games recently, excluding his first two starts of the season (March 29 vs. NC: 4 innings, 4 earned runs; April 4 vs. Hanwha: 4 2/3 innings, 3 earned runs), has firmly established himself as Doosan's undisputed ace. He concluded the interview by previewing a healthy competition with his friend An Woo-jin while showing a warm friendship of mutual support.

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*This content was translated by AI.