'Siblings More Precious Than Jinx': Won Tae-in's 'No. 1' Engraved on His Cap → Prayers for the Recovery of Lee Ho-seong and Moon Dong-ju "I Threw It While Carrying That Heart in Mine"

*This content was translated by AI.

Samsung Lions' "Ace of the Blue Blood," Won Tae-in (26), finally secured his first win of the season after five games, delivering his best pitching performance of the year. On this day, Won Tae-in shared the story behind the number '1' engraved on his cap, directly mentioning Moon Dong-ju (23, Hanwha Eagles) and Lee Ho-seong (22, Samsung Lions). All three players are currently sidelined due to injuries.

Won Tae-in made the starting lineup for the final game of the midweek three-game series against the Kiwoom Heroes at Daegu Samsung Lions Park on the 2nd in the '2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League.' He threw 99 pitches over seven innings, allowing three hits, striking out six, walking two, and recording zero earned runs. Mixing a fastball reaching a top speed of 150 km/h with changeups and cutters, he demonstrated solid control by throwing 69 of his 99 pitches into the strike zone.

However, what drew as much attention as Won Tae-in's outstanding performance was the number '1' written on his cap. This revealed it was a message of support for his cherished juniors, Moon Dong-ju and Lee Ho-seong, who are currently out of the lineup due to injuries.

After the game, Won Tae-in met with reporters and confessed that he usually avoids writing anything on his cap due to a jinx. He said, "Actually, writing something on my cap or in visible places brings bad luck. Even when teammates were injured before, I tried to restrain myself as much as possible. But it hurt my heart that the younger brothers I cherish so much got injured, so this time I wanted to throw while carrying that feeling in my heart."

He added, "Ho-seong and Dong-ju are two juniors I cherish deeply. Ho-seong and I were roommates during camp every year, and Dong-ju, as fans well know, maintains a good relationship with me. But it was so regrettable that Dong-ju got injured this time as well."

The two juniors Won Tae-in had in mind are currently entering the long tunnel of rehabilitation. Lee Ho-seong, who played all-around roles in the bullpen last season with seven wins, nine saves, and three holds, felt elbow pain during the Okinawa camp ahead of this season and underwent surgery to repair the ligament in his right elbow on March 12. Moon Dong-ju was pulled from the game due to shoulder pain after just 15 pitches in the Samsung Lions game on the 2nd. A detailed examination revealed he needs surgery for damage to the labrum in his right shoulder. Currently, he has requested a review of the examination results from the 'Jobe Clinic' in the United States to establish a precise surgery and rehabilitation plan.

In particular, although Won Tae-in belongs to a different team, he expressed deep affection for Moon Dong-ju, with whom he shares a special bond. He said, "I contacted him frequently after the surgery news came out. It's a very big surgery for a pitcher, so I was upset, but since he's such a positive friend, I believe he will return well. We even promised to go to a rehabilitation camp together during the off-season," revealing his deep affection.

Regarding the delay in his first win of the season, Won Tae-in admitted, "Since I joined the team late, I wanted to be helpful, but I couldn't, so I was upset." He now declared a complete comeback. He said, "The excuse of building up is over. I feel my condition has risen above 90%, and I've gained confidence. I promise to show only good performances from now on."

Won Tae-in's warm camaraderie, which even broke his jinx, and his overwhelming pitching delivered a more precious emotion to the Lions fanbase, who were desperate for a win, than any record could.

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*This content was translated by AI.