"(Lee) Ui-ri, please take good care of him, Coach." Upon hearing the news of his friend's study abroad in Japan, Lotte's Kim Jin-wook also made a direct request: "He's such a hardworking friend, so I hope we can both do well together..."

*This content was translated by AI.

Lotte Giants left-hander Kim Jin-wook (24) expressed confidence in the comeback of his same-age left-hander Lee Ui-ri (24, KIA Tigers).

Kim Jin-wook was named to the final roster of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games Korean baseball national team on the 11th. This marked his second time earning the Taegeuk mark. The youngest player who joined the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (held in 2021) national team based on his potential in his debut year has now grown into a solid left-handed ace, securing his spot through performance.

At that time, there was another 2002-born player on the national team: Lee Ui-ri, who won the KBO Rookie of the Year award that year. Despite being a high school rookie, Lee Ui-ri delivered an impressive performance in the first half with 14 games and an ERA of 3.89. This stood in sharp contrast to Kim Jin-wook, who struggled with 17 games and an ERA of 8.07 during the same period.

Five years later, the situation reversed. Kim Jin-wook grew into a native ace after a long period of patience. This year, he has shown the most stable performance among Lotte's starting pitchers with 12 games, 3 wins, 3 losses, an ERA of 3.20, 70⅓ innings, and 54 strikeouts.

In contrast, Lee Ui-ri underwent elbow surgery, and his growth trajectory dropped noticeably. He recorded an ERA of 5.40 in 4 games in 2024, 7.94 in 10 games in 2025, and 9.42 in 10 games this year, showing no sign of his former sharpness.

Ultimately, after discussions with the club, Lee Ui-ri departed for a short-term study abroad at "Next Base Athletes Lab" in Ishikawa City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. Next Base is a training center recently gaining attention in Japan, particularly known for producing significant results for pitchers.

Coincidentally, this is also the place Kim Jin-wook visited at his own expense earlier this season. Kim says he was able to use his body better by correcting his pitching mechanics at this facility.

Kim Jin-wook explained, "In a way, I think it had a significant impact even though I'm performing well this season. In fact, staying in one place (Korea) keeps you closed off and makes you view everything through the same lens. Breaking away from that and receiving unique advice from a different perspective seemed to be a stimulus for me."

According to a KIA club official, Lee Ui-ri departed for Japan on the 10th along with three right-handers: Kim Si-hoon (27), Kang Hyo-jong (24), and Hong Min-gyu (20), with the goal of returning on the 28th. Some club officials, including training coaches and interpreters, accompanied them to support the players.

This is Lee Ui-ri's second short-term study abroad. Recently, the KIA club has actively sent players overseas for skill development during the season, including to the US Tread Athletics, DriveLine Baseball Center, and Australia League. Lee Ui-ri also visited the US DriveLine after the 2023 season.

A KIA club official told StarNews, "The club made the initial proposal to the players. This is the first time we're sending them to this facility. The four players will aim to return for the second half of the season after returning home and will spend some time in the minor league for reorganization."

Kim Jin-wook personally contacted the Japanese center upon hearing the news of his friend's study abroad. Kim revealed, "I had already seen an article and directly contacted the coach at the Next Base center in Japan. I told them that Lee Ui-ri is going and asked them to take good care of him since he's a hardworking player. I said that just as I improved here, Ui-ri will surely improve as well."

He continued, "It seems he heard the news, as Lee Ui-ri contacted me. He congratulated me on being selected for the Asian Games national team. I also told him, 'I hope you can get the advice you need there.' In fact, because of his strong desire, I think there will be advice that resonates more deeply. I went to Japan with a sincere heart, and I believe Ui-ri feels the same."

Both Lee Ui-ri and Kim Jin-wook are evaluated as left-handed ace candidates who will shoulder the future of Korean baseball. Kim Jin-wook also believes that just as he grew a bit after five years of ups and downs, his friend Lee Ui-ri will have a day to soar together.

Kim Jin-wook added, "I've heard many times that Lee Ui-ri works very hard in sports. Given that, I think he will be able to help a lot. I may be doing a bit better now, but there are still difficult parts. I hope both of us can do well together."

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*This content was translated by AI.