An Woo-jin also felt deeply moved by Ko Woo-seok's U.S. debut: "My older brother was so cool; seeing him endure and overcome..."

*This content was translated by AI.

An Woo-jin (27), widely regarded as one of the KBO League's top starting pitchers, expressed how deeply moved he was watching his "very close older brother" Ko Woo-seok (28, Minnesota Twins) make his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut.

Recently, Ko Woo-seok's MLB debut has become a hot topic in the baseball world. After overcoming severe hardships, Ko took the mound with pride for his debut game on the 10th according to Korean time—the dream stage of Major League Baseball. Although he allowed a home run, he demonstrated potential by pitching one inning with one hit allowed (one home run), one strikeout, and one earned run. An Woo-jin, who watched this performance, was reportedly deeply moved as well.

Ahead of the 2026 KBO All-Star Game held at Jamsil Baseball Stadium on the 11th, An Woo-jin met with StarNews and, when asked about Ko Woo-seok's MLB debut, said, "I truly believe it is incredibly impressive for a Korean pitcher to go to America and take on that challenge," while giving a thumbs-up.

Especially since An Woo-jin had quietly watched from the sidelines through nearly three years of twists and turns and difficult times that Ko Woo-seok experienced after moving to the United States, his feelings were even more profound. An Woo-jin stated, "My brother Woo-seok certainly went through tough times during this period. But seeing him endure and overcome every single part of that journey finally step onto the Major League stage made me instinctively bow my head in respect. The words 'Brother, you are truly so cool' came out from my heart." He shared those deeply moving emotions from that moment.

According to An Woo-jin, the two are known to be extremely close friends, even going to saunas together during the off-season. In particular, Ko Woo-seok is also the brother-in-law of Lee Jung-hoo (28, San Francisco Giants), who is a high school senior to both An Woo-jin and himself. Indeed, when posts about Ko Woo-seok's debut game appeared on the Minnesota Twins' official social media account, An Woo-jin showed his support by liking them on SNS.

An Woo-jin is also considered one of the most likely candidates to eventually advance to Major League Baseball. If he performs normally throughout the upcoming season, he will become eligible for posting after the 2028 season concludes. When asked about his intentions to challenge MLB, An Woo-jin did not deny the possibility, saying, "If given a posting opportunity, anyone would respond." At the same time, however, he emphasized, "Still, continuing to pitch well with my current team (Kiwoom) is most important," as An Woo-jin.

Ko Woo-seok, who endured nearly three years of hardships and trials before stepping onto the Major League mound, and An Woo-jin, who continues to nurture another dream while watching his footsteps. The intense friendship and bond between these two talented pitchers are offering a quiet yet touching inspiration to baseball fans.

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*This content was translated by AI.