'Shoulder injury → demoted to minor league' After 373 days, former military serviceman Se Je-seong secures a victory; KT celebrates! The manager beams with joy: "He fulfilled his role." [Suwon]

*This content was translated by AI.

After many twists and turns, the 'first-year former military serviceman' Se Je-seong (30) secured a victory, bringing joy to all of KT Wiz.

On the 1st, Se Je-seong started against the Hanwha Eagles at SuwonKT Wiz Park in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular season home game. He pitched five innings, allowing seven hits (two home runs), issuing two walks and striking out three batters while giving up four earned runs, leading Hanwha to a 7-4 victory.

With this win, KT extended its winning streak to five games, improving their record to 58 wins, 2 ties, and 36 losses (winning percentage 0.617). They erased the gap with Samsung Lions (59 wins, 2 ties, 36 losses; winning percentage 0.615), who had no game that day due to cancellation from extreme heat, and moved into first place by winning percentage. This marks the first time since May 23, a span of 70 days.

It was not an easy victory. Facing Bruce Zimmermann, a former Major League Baseball pitcher, Se Je-seong began cautiously. In the first inning, he issued a walk to Lee Won-seok but induced a double play with Moon Hyun-bin. He allowed one run in the third inning. Se Je-seong gave up a two-run double to Lee Do-yoon down the right-field line and found himself in a dangerous situation with one out and runners on first and third after Sim Woo-jun's sacrifice bunt. When Lee Won-seok hit a ground ball to shortstop, Lee Do-yoon scored at home plate.

However, the offense exploded with powerful hitting, lightening Se Je-seong's burden. Especially in the bottom of the third inning with two outs and bases loaded, Oh Yun-seok hit a three-run double down the right-field line, clearing the bases and shifting momentum. Following him, Han Seung-taek and Jang Jun-won also targeted Zimmermann's first pitch, hitting consecutive sacrifice flies to score seven runs in the bottom of the third alone.

Even so, the path to becoming the winning pitcher was not easy. Although he retired Moon Hyun-bin with a catcher's strikeout out and Kang Baek-ho with a ground ball to shortstop in the fourth inning, Noh Si-hwan hit a solo home run over the left-field wall. Chae Eun-seong targeted his first pitch and drove an infield single to right field, while Heo In-seo sent Se Je-seong's fastball over the left-field fence for a home run.

The fifth inning posed the biggest crisis. Se Je-seong allowed a center-field hit to Lee Won-seok and issued a walk to Yonatan Peraza, creating a bases-empty situation with runners on first and second. However, Han Ji-yun's batted ball was sharply directed toward third baseman Heo Kyung-min near the base, completing a triple play and ending the inning instantly.

Thus, Se Je-seong became the winning pitcher for the first time in 373 days after his last win on July 24 against Changwon NC Dinos (five innings, four earned runs). The relief pitchers Son Dong-hyun (one inning), Woo Kyu-min (one inning), Sugimoto (one inning), and Park Young-hyun (one inning) held the line without allowing any runs.

This year marked Se Je-seong's first full season after surgery while serving in the Army Baseball Team (Marine Corps). Although he raised expectations with powerful pitching during spring training earlier this year, he was sidelined due to an injury to his right shoulder subscapularis muscle.

Even after returning in May, he did not display his usual form. As a result, he had to visit the minor league twice and, even after returning, alternated between relief and starting roles depending on team needs. Despite these challenges, Se Je-seong quietly fulfilled his role. After the victory, KT players passed by him, each offering loud congratulations.

After the game, KT Manager Lee Kang-cheol said, "Starting pitcher Se Je-seong fulfilled his role. Congratulations on his first win of the season. Son Dong-hyun, Woo Kyu-min, Sugimoto, and Park Young-hyun followed with scoreless pitching, helping secure Se Je-seong's first win." He prioritized celebrating his player's achievement.

He continued, "In terms of offense, we created a big inning with seven runs in one opportunity, which led to the victory. Kim Sang-soo's go-ahead RBI and Oh Yun-seok's three-run sweep shifted the momentum. Later, Han Seung-taek and Jang Jun-won added more RBIs, solidifying our lead."

Despite scorching temperatures reaching up to 34 degrees Celsius, 18,700 fans filled KT Wiz Park, achieving KT's 19th consecutive sellout. Manager Lee Kang-cheol said, "The players worked hard," and added, "I am grateful to the fans who supported us with two consecutive sold-out crowds."

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*This content was translated by AI.