'All-time greats' have all vanished: Moon Dong-ju faces shocking surgery; top picks Kim Seo-hyun and Hwang Jun-seo depart together... '9th place' Hanwha's bitter reality

*This content was translated by AI.

Resources that were supposed to carry Hanwha Eagles' future are all struggling to rise. Now, Moon Dong-ju (23) has also departed.

On the 3rd, ahead of an away game against the Samsung Lions at Daegu Samsung Lions Park, Hanwha removed Moon Dong-ju from the first-division roster and called up high school rookie pitcher Kang Geon-woo.

Moon Dong-ju, who started the game against Samsung on the 2nd, exited voluntarily after throwing just 15 pitches over 2/3 of an inning. Although he retired Choi Hyung-woo with a center field fly ball with one out and a runner on second, he felt pain in his shoulder afterward, signaled for his replacement from the bench, and left the mound.

The Hanwha organization explained on the afternoon of the 4th: "Moon Dong-ju underwent diagnosis (examination) at two hospitals on the 3rd and 4th. As a result, he was advised that surgery is necessary due to damage to the right shoulder's glenoid labrum. Additionally, we have requested a review from the renowned Zov Clinic in the United States, a top authority in this field. Based on these findings, we plan to formulate future surgery and rehabilitation plans."

Moon Dong-ju, who joined Hanwha after being selected first overall in the 2022 draft, won the Rookie of the Year award in the 2023 season and recorded double-digit wins in his debut year last season, though his maximum innings pitched were limited to 121.

Ahead of this season, Moon Dong-ju, who had been preparing his body for the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC), showed shoulder pain before the tournament but pitched normally in spring training games and entered the regular season.

However, it may have been an injury issue. There was no sign of a national team pitcher's composure. He pitched only 6 innings in total. Over 6 games, he logged 24 1/3 innings, recording an ERA of 5.18, a batting average against of 0.281, and an innings per baserunner allowed (WHIP) of 1.56.

There was hope that he would return to his spot if his condition recovered, but the feared situation has occurred. While a detailed course of events must be monitored through today's detailed examination, concerns are growing given that shoulder problems have recurred multiple times over the past few years. Manager Kim Kyung-moon hinted that Moon Dong-ju's return would take a long time.

This is not just a problem for Moon Dong-ju. Kim Seo-hyun, who joined Hanwha as the overall first pick in 2023, had become one of the league's top closers last season with 33 saves. However, Kim Seo-hyun (22) has fallen into severe slumps even without injury. In 11 games, he posted a record of 1 win, 2 losses, and 1 save with an ERA of 9.00, and was eventually sent to the Futures League (second division) on the 27th. The game against the Samsung Lions on the 14th of last month, where he allowed 7 walks and hit batters in one inning, was a clear example of Kim Seo-hyun's problems this season. While his batting average against was a modest 0.233, his WHIP reached 2.63. With two or more baserunners in every inning, the game could not unfold as intended.

He appeared in a Futures League game on the 2nd but allowed 2 hits, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts, and 3 earned runs over 2 innings. He handled the 8th inning cleanly but collapsed again in the 9th with a walk, a balk, and a wild pitch. Kim Seo-hyun also appears to need considerable time to stabilize his control and regain confidence.

Hwang Jun-seo (21), the 2024 first-round rookie, is also going through a difficult period. Over the past two seasons, he showed physical issues and struggled in the second half, recording an ERA in the 5th-point range for two consecutive years. Ahead of this season, Hwang Jun-seo gained weight to build strength.

Hwang Jun-seo, who was utilized in both starting and relief roles, was given a start after pitching competently, but the impatient Hanwha did not give him enough opportunities. In a game against the SSG Landers on the 29th of last month, he delivered his worst pitching performance of the season: 1 2/3 innings, 2 hits allowed (including 1 home run), 6 walks and hit batters, and 5 earned runs, and was immediately sent to the second division.

Jung Woo-ju (20), who joined as the second pick in the first round last year and was hailed as one of the top rookies, is also facing difficulties. He appeared in 18 games, tied for third among relief pitchers, but struggled with a batting average against of 0.321. He recorded 5 holds but has an ERA of 6.75.

The only comfort is that he has pitched scoreless in 4 of his last 5 games.

Given the situation, expecting good results is difficult. Hanwha has played 30 games and sits in 9th place with 12 wins and 18 losses. The team's ERA, which was the best in the league last year when they finished first, is now 5.24, ranking last. Hanwha is also suffering from the poor performance of its top-round pitchers who played key roles and are expected to continue doing so.

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*This content was translated by AI.