'Already hit my personal best velocity!' Hanwha's foreign pitcher Owen White poised to return from 'store-closed' status; manager expresses hope: "We also have time to jump"

*This content was translated by AI.

The return of Hanwha Eagles foreign pitcher Owen White (27) is imminent.

On the 9th, in an away game against the NC Dinos at Changwon Baseball Stadium in Changwon, Gyeongsangnam-do, during the 2026 Medihill KBO Futures League regular season, White recorded 5⅓ innings, allowing 2 hits (1 home run), issuing 1 walk, striking out 5 batters, and surrendering 1 earned run.

White ended the first inning with a strikeout, double play, and out. In the second inning, he recorded his first strikeout against Han Jae-hwan. After striking out two consecutive batters from the bottom of the batting order in the third inning, he induced a second strikeout double play. He allowed a double to Shin Jae-in in the fourth inning but finished the frame without allowing a run.

In the fifth inning, White gave up a home run to Han Jae-hwan to the left-center field gap, marking his first run allowed. However, he retired the next three batters on ground balls, preventing any further runs. In the sixth inning, White struck out Park In-woo before being replaced by Eom Yo-seop, concluding his outing.

According to the Hanwha organization, White threw a total of 69 pitches, including 18 fastballs averaging 146 km/h with a peak of 149 km/h, 16 sweepers, 9 cutters, 8 forkballs, and 5 two-seam fastballs, confirming all his pitches. His two-seam fastball also reached a peak velocity of 146 km/h, matching his personal best, numerically confirming he is ready for his return.

This was his second rehabilitation appearance. White, who signed a $1 million contract with Hanwha this year, had raised expectations with a 3.14 ERA over 14⅓ innings and 16 strikeouts in three exhibition games. However, after pitching 2⅓ innings (57 pitches) with one earned run in his KBO debut against the Daejeon KT Wiz on March 31, he suffered a left hamstring tear and was effectively sidelined.

Coincidentally, around that time, the Hanwha starting rotation was struck by injury misfortune. Eom Sang-baek (30) and Moon Dong-ju (23) underwent surgery in succession and were ruled out for the season, disrupting the pitching staff's operations. Fortunately, Will Hernandez (27), Ryu Hyun-jin (39), and Wang Yencheng (25) held strong, allowing Hanwha to anticipate a rebound with White's return.

Hanwha manager Kim Kyung-moon stated, "I believe we also have time to jump. In a few days, the players we've been waiting for will return, and White will pitch on the 9th and join the first division. Since White's body is improving, it seems we should wait for the right timing."

For now, Hanwha will start Park Jun-young (24) on the 10th. Park Jun-young is a right-handed pitcher who graduated from Yeongil Elementary, Yeongnam Middle, Chungam High School, and Cheongwon University before joining Hanwha as a developmental player this year. He shares the same name as Park Jun-young (23, 2022 second round, first pick), who started against the Daejeon LG Twins on the 8th.

Park Jun-young has posted a 4-0 record with a 1.29 ERA over 7 Futures League games, recording 28 innings, 22 strikeouts, and a batting average against of 0.186, leading both the Southern and Northern leagues in ERA. Recognizing this performance, he and teammate Bae Seung-su (23) were named the 2026 Medihill KBO Futures League Rookie of the Month for March and April on the 7th.

Manager Kim Kyung-moon hinted at Park Jun-young, saying, "A player who has worked hard in the Futures League will emerge," expressing his expectations.

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*This content was translated by AI.