*This content was translated by AI.
Even at an age past 40, his passion on the mound is no less than that of a rookie. Woo Kyu-min (41), the 'Veteran pitcher' of KT Wiz who has guarded the mound for over 20 years since joining the pros in 2003, displayed fighting spirit against injury and created a memorable scene by saving the team from crisis. As he approaches the end of his career, he also cautiously revealed his dream of appearing in the remaining Korean Series.
On the 9th, Woo Kyu-min appeared in the bottom of the 10th inning with one out and bases loaded in a tied 6-6 game against the Kiwoom Heroes at Gocheok Sky Dome in Guro-gu, Seoul. A hard-hit ball from Ju Seong-won struck his right leg with one out, but Woo Kyu-min chased the ball to the end, threw his body into the play, and threw the ball home to prevent a run. He lay on the ground for a while, complaining of pain, but then got up again and struck out the following batters, overcoming the walk-off crisis. Eventually, KT maintained the score until the 11th inning, ending in a 6-6 tie.
On the 10th, the day after the game, Woo Kyu-min met with on-site reporters and smiled, saying, "I received more calls than when I had a complete game shutout in the past." Although his leg was bruised and swollen, he remained calm. Instead, he said, "I thought I had to stop it somehow because the batted ball was slow," and added, "The playful response training I did with the pitching coach during practice was a big help in the actual game."
Woo Kyu-min's longevity is proven by the records. Ahead of the 2025 season, he signed a third FA (free agent) contract with KT for a total of 700 million won over two years, building a golden monument as the first pitcher to sign an FA contract three times. This is the result of appearing in 868 career games over 19 seasons, starting with LG in 2003, moving through Samsung, and arriving at KT, guarding the mound regardless of whether he was a starter, middle reliever, or closer.
This season, Woo Kyu-min's precise control is shining even brighter. Although he has appeared in 11 games, he has not issued a single walk. Under the trust of manager Lee Kang-cheol, he is continuing to perform in a way that belies his age in his 40s as a key pillar of the bullpen. Since joining the opening roster on March 28, he has never been removed even once.
Woo Kyu-min boasts a brilliant career record of 87 wins, 89 losses, 91 saves, 120 holds, and an ERA of 3.87 in the first division, but he also has a sincere 'final dream.' That is appearing in the Korean Series. He wants to shed the painful tag of being the player with the longest career without any Korean Series experience among active players. His draft-mate Noh Kyung-eun (42) also has a record of 3 wins, no losses, 1 hold, and an ERA of 3.38 in 7 Korean Series appearances. Kang Min-ho (41), a 2004 draft pick, also experienced the 2024 Korean Series.
Regarding the current atmosphere where his team is leading alone, Woo Kyu-min could not hide his cautious yet excited feelings. When asked related questions, he honestly replied, "I didn't even think about it until April, but after seeing my performance improve from May, I started to have a slightly happy dilemma," and added, "But we'll only know when we try, so instead of getting overexcited, I won't drink my own lemonade and will play well until the end of the season."
Continuing, Woo Kyu-min said, "Compared to last season, Choi Won-jun and Kim Hyun-soo have joined the lineup, and they are definitely having a positive impact. We have definitely become a team that can score when extra runs are needed. I definitely feel we have become stronger," showing strong faith in his teammates.
Coincidentally, Woo Kyu-min's team, KT, is currently engaged in a fierce battle for first place with Samsung Lions and LG Twins. All are clubs where Woo Kyu-min has played. When asked if there might be any competitive spirit, Woo Kyu-min smiled and replied, "These days, all such things have disappeared. Anyway, since we are competing against all nine clubs, they are all the same."
Woo Kyu-min, who said, "The good coaches and managers have shown a lot of consideration, so I just need to deliver good results on the mound," is now 20 years into his baseball career. It is quite curious whether his baseball life, which has come full circle, will achieve a perfect conclusion with the 'appearance in the Korean Series' at KT Wiz this season.
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*This content was translated by AI.
