"He threw so well," even a veteran was impressed by the fiery pitching, which propelled the team from last place in ERA to third after the arrival of Owen White and Park Jun-young. Hanwha's starting rotation is finally complete.

*This content was translated by AI.

"If he pitches like that, who would take his spot?"

Kim Kyung-moon (68), manager of the Hanwha Eagles, has officially endorsed him. Starting as a player in the independent league, he spent just one year as a Hanwha development player before securing a spot in the top five starters, showcasing a dramatic growth story.

Right-handed sidearm pitcher Park Jun-young attended Chungam High School and Cheongwon University but was rejected three times in the rookie draft. He had no choice but to continue his career in the independent league.

After joining the baseball variety program "Bulkkot Baseball," Park Jun-young began to gain recognition among baseball fans. Last year, he signed as a Hanwha development player and finally stepped onto his dream stage.

There are countless players who fail to shine after signing a professional contract and fade into obscurity. As a development player, Park Jun-young's position was particularly unstable.

However, his pace toward his dream is extraordinary. In the Futures League, he appeared in seven games with a record of four wins and no losses, posting an ERA of 1.29. On May 10, in his first-team debut, he pitched five scoreless innings, setting a record as the first development player to earn a starting win in his debut.

After appearing twice in relief, Park Jun-young pitched five and two-thirds innings allowing three runs against the NC Dinos on May 27. On the 2nd, against the Doosan Bears, he gave up two home runs in just three innings and allowed three runs, a painful loss. Following the previous game, he again surrendered two home runs, raising concerns about his hits allowed rate.

However, on the 7th, Park Jun-young appeared as the team's final pitcher against the Lotte Giants, pitching two innings to lead the team to an extra-inning victory, securing his second win of the season.

He got another start against the Kiwoom Heroes on the 13th, pitching six and one-third innings, allowing three hits (one home run), no walks, and striking out seven batters while allowing only two runs. He delivered an overwhelming performance, pitching a perfect game until one out in the fifth inning.

Although he gave up a solo home run to Kim Geon-hee, breaking the perfect game, he retired subsequent batters to finish the fifth inning. In the sixth, he allowed a hit to the leadoff batter and faced a crisis with one out and runners on second and third, but he escaped without allowing a run, completing six innings for the first time since his debut.

He also appeared in the seventh inning. Park Jun-young struck out the first batter, Hira, but was pulled after allowing a double to Choi Ju-hwan. The inherited runner scored, increasing the deficit to two runs, and the offense managed only one run, resulting in a loss. Nevertheless, it was a sufficiently satisfying performance.

Manager Kim Kyung-moon praised him, saying, "He didn't waver at all against the opposing ace (Alcantara). Even if the manager loses a game, there must be something to comfort him, and he pitched so well."

Last season, Hanwha, with its best starting rotation in 19 years, even reached the Korean Series, but the team faced significant ups and downs early this season. Owen White was sidelined due to injury, and Moon Dong-ju underwent surgery. The team utilized temporary replacement foreign pitcher Jack Cushing as a closer, which further widened the gap in the starting rotation.

White has returned and is fulfilling expectations, but the vacancy in one starting spot remained a challenge for Hanwha to solve. Park Jun-young's consecutive strong performances are helping to alleviate Hanwha's starting rotation concerns.

Manager Kim decided to entrust Park Jun-young with a starting spot. When asked if he would start again, he replied, "Of course. If he's not injured and pitches like that, who would take his spot?" He has now firmly secured a place in the starting rotation.

With the strengthening of the starting rotation after White's return, Hanwha also reduced the burden on the bullpen, bringing overall stability to the mound. This became the driving force behind Hanwha achieving a record of 13 wins, 10 losses, and one draw, placing them fourth overall during the same period. Before Park Jun-young joined, Hanwha's team ERA was 5.42, ranking last. After White and Park Jun-young joined, the team ERA improved to 3.68, jumping to third place overall.

What is most encouraging about Park Jun-young's addition to the starting rotation is that his walks per nine innings stand at 3.00, the third-lowest among starters behind Ryu Hyun-jin (1.29) and White (1.34). This indicates that he effectively suppresses opposing batters with an aggressive pitching style. In this regard, Park Jun-young's addition to the starting rotation evokes memories of last year, when the team, relying on a strong starting rotation, maintained a high-standing position.

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*This content was translated by AI.