'One year after suspected beanball, now a no-hitter': Samsung's Yang Chang-seop delivers 'elegant revenge' against Lotte

*This content was translated by AI.

Yang Chang-seop (29, Samsung Lions) let out his most dazzling roar in nine years since his professional debut. Exactly one year prior, at Sajik Stadium—a place marred by conflict and misunderstanding—he leveraged his precision-like pitching to achieve a historic 'no-walk, one-hit no-hitter,' exacting a 'gentleman's revenge.'

On the 24th, Yang made his starting debut in an away game against the Lotte Giants at Busan Sajik Baseball Stadium in the '2026 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League.' He threw 102 pitches over nine innings, delivering an overwhelming performance of one-hit, no-walk, six-strikeout scoreless pitching to lead Samsung to a 10-0 victory.

This was the second no-hitter of the KBO League season, following KIA Tigers' foreign pitcher Adam Oller, and Yang's first career no-hitter. It is also the first no-hitter by a Samsung pitcher since Ariel Jurado in July 2025. Among domestic pitchers alone, it marks the first no-hitter by a Korean pitcher for Samsung in six years, since Choi Ji-myeong (formerly Choi Chae-heung, now with LG Twins) in 2020.

The reason this no-hitter was even more dramatic lies in the startling memory from exactly one year ago at the same venue. On May 18, 2025, during a game against Lotte at Sajik, the Lotte lineup was extremely sensitive due to frequent headshot incidents. In the bottom of the fifth inning, leadoff batter Jang Du-seong was knocked down by a fastball from Samsung's Lee Seung-hyun. Following that, Yang, who had entered as a relief pitcher, also threw a 148 km/h fastball over the head of Yoon Dong-hee.

Kim Tae-hyung, manager of Lotte, who was furious at the explosive situation suspected of intentional beanballs, protested vigorously, triggering a bench-clearing incident as players from both teams poured onto the field. Following this, Yang was branded with the scarlet letter of a 'beanball pitcher,' and harsh jeers from Sajik fans followed.

However, on this day exactly one year later, Yang completed his revenge not through rough retaliation or emotional conflict, but through the most elegant and powerful method a pitcher can offer. With perfect control that issued not a single walk, he directly confronted the 'suspicion of intent' from one year ago with his skill.

On this day, Yang Chang-seop effectively utilized his fastball (30 pitches) clocking up to 150 km/h, along with changeups (29 pitches), sliders (25 pitches), and curves (14 pitches). He also threw four two-seam fastballs. The only hit allowed was a left-field single to leadoff batter Jang Du-seong in the bottom of the third inning. Even after allowing the hit, Yang quickly settled the next three batters with just eight pitches.

In fact, Yang, who gained national fame as an ace during his time at Deoksu High School and was selected by Samsung in the second round of the 2018 draft, has suffered from cruel injury demons. His draft classmates include An Woo-jin (Kiwoom Heroes), Kwak Bin (Doosan Bears), Kang Baek-ho (Hanwha Eagles), and Han Dong-hee (Lotte Giants). He never exceeded 90 innings in a single season, and his velocity dropped to the early 140 km/h range, making him seem as if he was fading from fans' memories.

However, in the 2025 season, Yang proved his health by appearing in the most games of any pitcher, totaling 33. He advanced through this season's spring training to secure a spot in the five-man rotation, and in his 97th career first-division game, he finally unleashed his potential in a massive explosion.

Yang Chang-seop, who repaid the harsh jeers and suspicious glances directed at him one year ago with the historic achievement of a no-walk no-hitter. His 'elegant revenge' completed on the Sajik mound was the perfect overture announcing the brilliant revival of Samsung Lions' domestic ace.

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*This content was translated by AI.