"Don't be sorry, Jung-woo and Taek-yeon." In-sung is already at an MLB level; Kwak Bin, who missed 10 wins, says, "I have no regrets at all."

*This content was translated by AI.

Kwak Bin (27, Doosan Bears) postponed achieving 10 wins to another opportunity but took a step closer to the pitcher's Triple Crown with an overwhelming performance.

On the 11th at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Songpa-gu, Seoul, Kwak Bin started against Hanwha Eagles in a 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League home game, throwing 81 pitches over six innings to allow just two hits and one walk while recording ten strikeouts in a scoreless outing.

His ERA dropped from 2.66 to 2.53, surpassing teammate Min-seok Choi (2.64) to take first place in the category. However, after Kwak Bin was relieved, the bullpen immediately allowed an equalizer, pushing his goal of 10 wins (with four losses) to another opportunity once again.

Kwak Bin, who has improved this season and attracted intense interest from Major League Baseball (MLB) scouts, expressed his desire to advance to the big leagues, and today's performance seemed to prove he is fully qualified for that step.

His fastball reached a top speed of 157 km/h and 152 km/h, with 34 of 40 pitches thrown into the strike zone, demonstrating aggressive usage. This reflects his confidence. His other pitches were also impeccable. He mixed in curveballs (average 127 km/h) for 14 pitches, sliders (average 137 km/h) for 13 pitches, cutters (average 147 km/h) for 11 pitches, and changeups (average 136 km/h) for nine pitches.

He did not rely solely on fastballs to intimidate batters. With pinpoint control, he recorded four swinging strikeouts, three of which were fastballs that grazed the edge of the strike zone. The other strikeouts also featured pitches that nearly crossed the boundary, forcing Hanwha batters into swings they could not avoid.

Because Kwak Bin threw his fastballs so aggressively, Hanwha batters had no choice but to time their swings against them. As a result, they were completely helpless against his cutters, changeups, and sliders.

In the top of the first inning, he struck out Lee Won-seok, walked Yonatan Peraza, but retired Moon Hyun-bin and Kang Baek-ho with strikeouts to end the frame.

The second inning was the highlight. After striking out Noh Si-hwan to start the inning, Kwak Bin allowed a large hit to Heo In-seo with two outs. Left fielder Kim Daehyun leaped to catch the ball but collided with the fence, causing the ball to slip from his glove while the runner advanced to second base.

Nevertheless, he remained unfazed. Kwak Bin threw a changeup for a strike on the first pitch, then induced a foul ball with a low curveball on the second. With a favorable 0-2 count, he opted for a high fastball on the third pitch, reaching his top speed of 157 km/h, leaving Lee Do-yoon swinging at nothing.

Kwak Bin recorded three up-and-outs in both the third and fourth innings. In the fifth, despite allowing a double with two outs, he retired Sim Woo-jun on an outfield fly to maintain his scoreless streak. He also pitched the sixth inning, retiring all three batters. With two outs, he engaged in a nine-pitch battle with Moon Hyun-bin, whose bat swung at nothing against a 147 km/h cutter.

Although Kwak Bin could have continued into the seventh inning, Doosan brought in relief pitcher Kim Jung-woo. With the team leading 3-0 and needing to start only twice a week, it was interpreted as a decision not to overwork him, but this proved to be the biggest mistake of the day.

Kim Jung-woo, who entered in the seventh inning, allowed a solo home run to leadoff batter Kang Baek-ho and then issued a walk. Doosan handed the ball to Kim Taek-yeon, but he also surrendered a two-run home run to Chae Eun-seong over the left-field wall. The game was tied in an instant, and Kwak Bin's path to victory vanished.

Nevertheless, it ultimately ended happily. A three-run home run by Park Jun-soon immediately followed in the bottom of the seventh. Takada Taikuto closed out the eighth, and Lee Young-ha secured the ninth, extending Doosan's winning streak to four games. The only blemish was that Kwak Bin missed his chance at 10 wins.

Kwak Bin did not care. After the game, he said, "I have absolutely no regrets about missing 10 wins. As I always say, I am satisfied when my team wins on days I pitch." He added, "Especially, I hope Jung-woo and Taek-yeon do not feel sorry. They have supported us wonderfully over time. I expect them to protect the lead even better in the future," comforting his teammates who allowed runs.

Despite returning after ten days since his last appearance against LG Twins (six innings, two earned runs), his performance was even sharper. His strength was evident, but above all, his control was perfect. Kwak Bin said, "It had been a while since my last live game, so there was some awkwardness, but as I continued pitching, I found my rhythm." He expressed satisfaction, adding, "Hearing the fans' enthusiastic cheers once again was thrilling."

He looks to higher goals. Kwak Bin stated, "As I mentioned in the post-game podium interview, our team is not satisfied with this. We will climb even higher," vowing, "I will do my best to contribute as much as possible."

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*This content was translated by AI.