'What is WBC aftereffects?' The 20th season of a 39-year-old pitcher shines even more brilliantly

*This content was translated by AI.

The 20th season of a 39-year-old pitcher. Although he participated in the World Baseball Classic (WBC) before the season opener, there are no signs of fatigue. Instead, he has added peak maturity, becoming an even more difficult pitcher to attack.

This is the story of Hanwha Eagles' living legend, Ryu Hyun-jin. On the 24th, at Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark in a game against the Doosan Bears, he built another golden monument. As the starting pitcher, he threw 6⅔ innings, allowing 6 hits and 2 earned runs to earn the win, reaching the 200th-win milestone with a combined total of 122 wins in the KBO League and 78 wins in the U.S. MLB. He pitched a perfect game through the first three outs in the fourth inning, leading his team to a 5-2 victory and sweeping the three-game weekend series.

In the KBO League this season, some players who were selected for the WBC national team in March have unfortunately suffered injuries or slumps. LG Twins, which had seven participants, saw Yoo Young-chan and Moon Bo-kyung sidelined due to unexpected injuries, while Park Dong-won and Shin Min-jae have been struggling with poor batting performance. KT Wiz's Ahn Hyun-min and Doosan Bears' Kim Taek-yeon are also out due to injuries, while KT's Ko Young-pyo and SSG Landers' Noh Kyung-eun have shown somewhat subpar form.

However, many players have not faced such issues. KIA Tigers' Kim Do-young leads in home runs (13), and Doosan's Kwak Bin tops the strikeout list (66). KT's Park Young-hyun (10 saves), Hanwha's Moon Hyun-bin (batting average 0.320), and LG's Son Ju-young (5 saves) continue to demonstrate their consistent power.

There are no signs of 'WBC aftereffects' for Ryu Hyun-jin. Instead, he is posting results comparable to his prime, ranking among the top in various pitcher statistics.

In nine games this season, he has a 5-2 record, placing him second in wins alongside Oller (6 wins). His ERA is 3.42, ranking seventh in the league and third among domestic pitchers. His WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched) is 1.04, second only to Oller (0.93). His batting average against is 0.240, ranking fourth, and he has 47 strikeouts, tied for ninth. His ability to handle innings is also impressive, with 52⅔ innings pitched ranking 11th, and he has recorded four quality starts (QS), tied for 10th. At the age of 40 in Korean reckoning, he is in his 20th season since his debut (he missed the 2015 season with the Los Angeles Dodgers due to injury), delivering performances that shine brighter than those of younger players.

Now, if Ryu Hyun-jin adds 11 more wins, he will surpass the KBO League record for most wins (210 wins), currently held by his senior teammate Song Jin-woo (60). When he returned to Hanwha in 2024, he signed an eight-year contract worth a total of 17 billion won. Whether he can maintain his competitiveness until he turns 44 in 2031 remains uncertain, but every step Ryu Hyun-jin takes will leave a magnificent footprint in KBO history.

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*This content was translated by AI.