A question of "What on earth is going on?" echoed in the KT dugout: a foreign pitcher who had spent just seven months with the team left in tears, while a Japanese pitcher facing an expulsion crisis returned as a reliable reliever.

*This content was translated by AI.

A foreign pitcher who had been together for barely seven months departed in tears. A Japanese pitcher who debuted on the professional stage in a foreign land, frozen by the pressure, overcame an expulsion crisis and returned as a dependable reliever. Behind these two scenes lay KT's pitching culture, where teammates care for one another as if they were family.

KT is the hottest team in the second half with 12 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss (winning percentage 0.923). A significant gap from the second-place Doosan Bears (8 wins, 2 draws, 4 losses; winning percentage 0.667) was largely due to a stable pitching mound. KT's team ERA stands at 2.69, ranking first in the league. Of course, this result stems from the ace Go Young-pyo (35) anchoring the starting rotation, relief pitchers regaining their sharpness, and effective bench management working in harmony.

Je Choon-mo (44), KT Wiz's first-division pitching coach, attributed this to the team atmosphere. When recently met in Suwon, Coach Je said, "Our relievers try hard not to let inherited runners score. They are truly grateful when a preceding pitcher prevents runners left behind from scoring." He added, "While one might think 'just focus on my own performance,' our players genuinely strive to prevent runs. If they fail, they feel deeply sorry. That attitude is wonderful."

For relievers, inherited runners are baserunners left by another pitcher. Even if they score at home plate, it may not count against the current pitcher's earned run total. Yet KT pitchers did not view preventing these runners as separate from their personal records. At the center of this mindset were veteran players.

Coach Je explained, "(Right) Gyu-min and (Go) Young-pyo, as veterans, laid the foundation. I only aim to create an environment where players can thrive." He continued, "Within that space, players move on their own. Sugimoto also joined this culture. As the season progresses, this culture is becoming even stronger."

A KT club official noted, "The one who anchors everything is Go Young-pyo. Like Seon Su-neun (Prof.), he answers every question from players and points out mistakes when they occur. Meanwhile, Woo Gyu-min takes excellent care of teammates. Juniors trust and follow him."

In fact, Japanese Asia quota pitcher Sugimoto Kouki (26) was initially tense about the unfamiliar KBO League atmosphere and Korean senior-junior culture at the start of the season. However, teammates initiated meals and shared jokes, helping him gradually integrate into the team.

Sugimoto expressed gratitude: "Seniors took great care of me. Whether for lunch or dinner, they always invited me to join first. Recently during a Changwon road trip, we went together to eat eel—it was delicious. Thanks to the culture where seniors diligently look after juniors, I was able to adapt well to this team."

Joo Kwon (31) also stated that no single individual shapes the atmosphere alone. He said, "The manager, Coach Je Choon-mo, and Coach Jeon Byeong-du create a comfortable environment. Other seniors treat us casually, so I can joke and chat freely. Of course, there are situations where caution is needed. But we often joke to maintain a positive atmosphere."

Coach Je hoped the KT pitching staff would become like a playground. This does not mean a lack of discipline. It means that while coaches clearly guide direction when necessary, players are entrusted to offer advice and solve problems within that framework.

He remarked, "There is no atmosphere where seniors treat juniors authoritatively. I only step in when needed; otherwise, players play freely within the structure." He added, "Young players face significant stress from baseball alone. Yet when promoted to the first division, seniors offer encouraging words—so much so that they say what I would have said. This is truly a unique and positive culture specific to KT's pitching staff."

This team culture allowed newly arrived players to integrate quickly. Caleb Boshell (33), who recently departed due to injury, could not hold back tears during the final team meeting, deeply regretting his absence. Sugimoto had even become so accustomed that Coach Je jokingly told him, "You're fully Koreanized now."

Of course, a positive atmosphere does not always guarantee strong results. However, the culture of treating inherited runners as one's own responsibility naturally unites the team and provides a foundation to endure the ups and downs of a long season. So Hyoung-jun (25) smiled, saying, "Our team has no need for harsh criticism. We know each other so well that we understand why a player acts this way or how to respond in certain situations without being told. Except when I speak to (Oh) Won-seok, there's nothing left to criticize."

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*This content was translated by AI.