"The Opponent is Korea's Ace" Hanwha Deploys 'Pae-Moon-Kang-No-Chae-Heo' Starting Lineup... Kim Kyung-moon: "Must Navigate the First Game Well" [Jamsil On-site]

*This content was translated by AI.

The Hanwha Eagles faced the Doosan Bears in their first game after resuming play following the summer heat break. They fielded a full-strength lineup against Kwak Bin of the Doosan Bears, who has delivered the season's best pitching and even expressed interest in challenging Major League Baseball (MLB).

Hanwha revealed its starting lineup for the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League away game against the Doosan Bears at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Songpa-gu, Seoul, beginning at 7 p.m. on the 11th.

The batting order consists of Lee Won-seok (center fielder), Yonatan Peraza (right fielder), Moon Hyun-bin (left fielder), Kang Baek-ho (designated hitter), Noh Si-hwan (third baseman), Chae Eun-seong (first baseman), Heo In-seo (catcher), Lee Do-yoon (second baseman), and Sim Woo-jun (shortstop).

The lineup, which had previously kept opponents on edge with the 'Pae-Moon-Kang-No-Heo' combination, now includes Chae Eun-seong after he returned from a long injury absence. However, Kang Baek-ho has been sidelined due to injury. Although his hitting form has shown some decline since his return, the fact that this game comes after sufficient rest heightens expectations.

Kwak Bin has pitched 115 innings in 20 games this season, recording 9 wins and 4 losses with an ERA of 2.66 and 138 strikeouts. He leads the league in strikeouts and quality starts, ranks second in ERA, and is tied for third in wins, hits allowed, and walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP). However, against Hanwha in three previous games, he posted a 0-2 record with an ERA of 3.72, which was somewhat disappointing.

If the powerful lineup featuring 'Pae-Moon-Kang-No-Heo-Chae' unleashes its full potential, Kwak Bin will not be an insurmountable obstacle. The real challenge lies in game readiness.

Manager Kim Kyung-moon (68), who met with reporters before the game, stated, "Ultimately, maintaining one's condition and rhythm is crucial. We expect a player to adjust well once the game begins," adding, "We hope all players perform at their best."

Managing Kwak Bin makes condition control even more critical. Kim noted, "While resting can help batters regain strength, subtle timing is essential for both pitchers and hitters. Only by playing the game will we know how it goes. The opposing pitcher is currently an ace-level talent in Korea. Whether it's Doosan or us, we must navigate this first game well. We will strive to finish strong."

Starting with Wang Yencheng instead of Ryu Hyun-jin or Owen White signals Hanwha's firm confidence. Wang, who joined Hanwha under the Asia quota, has pitched 110⅓ innings in 21 games this season with a 10-4 record and a 3.34 ERA, tying for first place in wins. He has been particularly dominant against Doosan, going 2-0 with a 1.47 ERA over three games (18⅓ innings), showcasing his status as their nemesis.

Manager Kim explained, "Since we've secured many victories, we've tried to align our pitchers' rotations accordingly. This decision was made through discussions between the pitching coach and the players."

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*This content was translated by AI.