'65 million won salary, sole leader in wins' 5 wins in 5 years → 5 consecutive wins already this year, Lee Sung-yong's judgment was accurate

*This content was translated by AI.

SSG Landers left-handed pitcher Kim Geon-woo (24) is finally reaching his full potential six years after his debut.

On the 12th, Kim Geon-woo started against KT Wiz at Suwon KT Wiz Park, pitching five innings while allowing six hits, two walks, and three strikeouts, giving up only one earned run to lead his team to a 5-1 victory. The only run allowed came from a double to left-center field by Han Seung-taek with two outs in the fourth inning and a runner on first base.

With this win, Kim Geon-woo extended his unbeaten streak to five consecutive victories in eight games this season, placing him alone at the top in wins among both domestic and foreign pitchers. His success is not just due to luck. His ERA stands at 3.51 (16 earned runs in 41 innings), tying for 13th overall and ranking sixth among domestic pitchers. His WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched) is 1.27, ranking 12th in the league and sixth among domestic pitchers, while his batting average against is 0.224, placing him sixth overall.

SSG manager Lee Sung-yong (55) made the right call. Ahead of this season, he designated Kim Geon-woo as the team's second starter, explaining, "I actually considered him as the first starter, but after consulting with the coaching staff, I decided on the second starter. In preparation for the Cheongna Dome era starting in 2028, we need a young, military-service-completed starting pitcher to succeed Kim Kwang-hyun (38, SSG). By having him compete against ace-level pitchers from other teams as the second starter, he will grow even more." This decision reflected his confidence in Kim's success.

Born in Incheon and a graduate of Jeomilpo High School, Kim Geon-woo was selected first overall in the 2021 draft and signed with SSG for a signing bonus of 200 million won. However, in his debut year, he recorded one loss in six games with an ERA of 4.91. In 2022, he appeared in only two games with an ERA of 9.00 before enlisting in the military. After undergoing elbow surgery, he returned to the first-division mound last season.

During last year's regular season, he recorded five wins and four losses with an ERA of 3.82 in 35 games (13 starts). He started in the second game of the Korean Series against Samsung, pitching 3⅓ innings while allowing two earned runs but surrendering only three hits and recording seven strikeouts without issuing a walk or hit by pitch. Notably, he set a record for the most consecutive strikeouts in a Korean Series, striking out six batters in a row, leaving a strong impression.

His career record from his debut through last year totals 43 games with five wins, five losses, and two holds. His salary this year is 65 million won. Yet, he has already secured all the wins he earned over the past five years. In particular, in the eight games Kim Geon-woo started this season, SSG won seven of them, with the only loss coming against LG Twins on April 11.

Fourth-place SSG washed away the disappointment of their two-game losing streak against Doosan Bears last weekend with this victory. They have narrowed the gap to third-place LG by 1.5 games and are now three games behind first-place KT. The SSG starting rotation, which had been shaken by injuries to Kim Kwang-hyun the previous season and Mitch White recently, has gained significant strength thanks to Kim Geon-woo's reliable performances.

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*This content was translated by AI.