Hwang Dong-ha of the KIA Tigers, who was not on the bus for the Army team, overcame the nightmare of a batting average against of over 40% for left-handed batters with a 'forkball that looks like a fastball,' showing renewed interest. [Interview ①]

*This content was translated by AI.

KIA Tigers' Hwang Dong-ha (24) revealed the reason he delayed his enlistment in the Army Baseball Team (ROK Army).

Ahead of the Gwangju LG Twins game on the 17th, Hwang met with StarNews and candidly shared his feelings: "Actually, I don't feel any pressure about joining the military. I thought it's fine to go whenever, and it's okay to go later."

On the previous day, the 16th, a second physical test for enlistment in the second half of 2026 was held at Wi Chi-han (SVP) Baseball Stadium in Mun-gyeong, Gyeongbuk. As many as nine first-round document qualifiers from KIA, including Hwang Dong-ha, were selected, requiring a team bus for transport. However, Hwang's absence from the bus bound for Mun-gyeong sparked curiosity. In response, Hwang said, "I wanted to keep going when I had the opportunity. I also wanted to work more with the manager and coaches I like. The current manager and coaches trust me, so I felt strongly about wanting to be with them while I can."

In the same vein, he was not particularly bothered by the failure to qualify for the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. When asked if he felt disappointed, Hwang calmly replied, "Since my skills weren't good enough, it was natural that I wasn't selected. If I had performed overwhelmingly well, I would have been selected, so the rejection wasn't disappointing at all. I can just do better later and get selected for the next national team."

Hwang, a right-handed pitcher, graduated from Jinbuk Elementary, Jeolla Middle, and Insang High School before joining KIA as the 65th overall pick in the second round of the 2022 KBO Rookie Draft. He received serious opportunities after manager Lee Beom-ho (45) took charge in 2024. That year, he went 5-7 with a 4.44 ERA in 25 games, rotating as a starter and contributing to KIA's championship victory.

There was also misfortune. In May last year, he was involved in a traffic accident near his hotel in Incheon during an away game. He injured his back and could not play for the rest of the season. While rehabilitating, he was given a specific assignment by KIA first-division pitching coach Lee Dong-geol (43): to throw his forkball with the same arm swing speed as his fastball.

Hwang explained, "Coach Lee Dong-geol told me to step forward and throw the forkball as hard as a fastball. Practicing a faster arm swing on the mound was very helpful. By throwing the forkball harder, like a fastball, it dropped more sharply. It wasn't intentional, but since the trajectory looks similar to a fastball until the point of contact, batters seem to get confused. For the rest of the season, I plan to throw the forkball as fast as possible as long as I can."

A commendable student who accurately understood his mentor's intention. Shortly after, Coach Lee Dong-geol recalled, "(Hwang) Dong-ha's fastball and slider have very consistent arm swing speeds, which makes it difficult for batters. We needed a pitch to counter left-handed batters, but his existing forkball had a significantly slower arm swing, making it unsuitable for inducing swings and misses."

He continued, "Since last season, I have consistently told Dong-ha about this. Our top priority was not to improve the forkball's movement, but to create the same arm swing speed as the fastball. If the arm swing speed is the same, the release point becomes identical to the fastball, creating a tunneling effect that makes it impossible for batters to distinguish until the last moment. Dong-ha put in a lot of effort in this area. As his swing speeds for the fastball and forkball became similar, his movement improved and he gained confidence. Now, it has become a decisive pitch that can be used against both left- and right-handed batters."

In fact, Hwang's forkball usage rate increased again compared to the previous season: 21.1% in 2024, 13.9% in 2025, and 21.8% in 2026. His batting average against left-handed batters, which had approached 40% at 0.385 in 2025, dropped significantly to 0.272 in 2026. His OPS against (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) also improved noticeably from 1.114 to 0.703.

Hwang said firmly, "Last year, my batting average against left-handed batters must have exceeded 40%. That was the assignment Coach Lee gave me as I was worried about it. I didn't change the slider because it was already good. Now that the forkball has come alive, the slider seems to break more sharply, and the fastball's velocity also seems to have improved. Of course, I haven't faced other teams twice yet, so the next matchups are more important."

Another interesting point is that even in his first full season in 2024, his forkball usage rate was similar to this year's. However, back then, he allowed five or more earned runs in five games, indicating he was hit hard. At the time, his overly aggressive pitching was also cited as a cause.

In response, Hwang said without regret, "I am naturally the type to aggressively attack the strike zone even if I get hit. That has always been my style." He added, "My stuff may have improved compared to two years ago, but I think it's more about a difference in mindset. Back then, I only focused on throwing strikes, without considering the batter's reaction or pitch sequencing. But as I gained experience, I began to see those things."

As a result, in May, when he fully entered the starting rotation, he went 4-0 with a 1.48 ERA in five games, recording 24 strikeouts in 30⅓ innings, earning him a spot as a candidate for the KBO Monthly MVP. Now that he has found a hint of growth, not missing this moment was also one of the reasons he gave up on enlisting in the Army.

Hwang said firmly, "I never regret the choices I make. I can join the military later; even if things don't go well, it's my choice, and I have no regrets."

He continued, "For now, I just want to stay healthy and maintain this pace until the end of the season. It would be great if I could keep the feeling from May, but it won't be easy. Even if I can't perform well all the time, I will try to minimize the variance. Even if I have a bad game, I will boldly clear my mind and prepare well for the next game."

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*This content was translated by AI.