Even as a surprise starter, he threw five innings of no-hit ball! The manager even picked him as the MVP: "No matter what anyone says, it's Choi Min-jun today." [Jamsil On-site]

*This content was translated by AI.

"No matter what anyone says, it's Choi Min-jun."

SSG Landers manager Lee Seung-yong (55) selected starting pitcher Choi Min-jun (27) as the MVP of the game where his team outperformed third-place LG Twins in both pitching and hitting.

On the 14th, SSG defeated LG 5-3 in a regular-season away game at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League. With this win, ninth-place SSG improved to 42 wins, 4 draws, and 61 losses, while LG, now with 57 wins, 1 draw, and 47 losses, failed to close the gap with second-place Samsung Lions.

Choi Min-jun’s surprise performance as a substitute starter played a major role. He took the mound in place of Thomas Hatch, who had complained of shoulder pain the previous day (the 13th). So disoriented was he that he forgot to bring his own uniform and had to borrow one from Hatch before wearing jersey number 55.

But on the mound, he was nearly flawless. Choi threw a total of 83 pitches: 32 fastballs, 15 cutters, 14 curveballs, 9 forkballs, 8 sliders, and 5 two-seam fastballs. Against LG’s powerful batters, he allowed only one baserunner through the fifth inning. Choi gave up a walk to leadoff batter Park Hae-min in the bottom of the first but then retired the next 16 consecutive batters.

The final inning was the only blemish. In the bottom of the sixth, Shin Min-jae hit a double down the right-field line, and Choi induced a ground ball from Park Hae-min, putting SSG in a two-out, bases-loaded situation. Song Chan-ui then lined a large two-run double to deep left-center field on the first pitch, prompting Choi’s replacement by Kim Min. Kim Min then allowed a sacrifice fly hit by Austin Dean, eliminating Choi’s chances of earning the win.

Nevertheless, the manager named Choi Min-jun as the game’s hero. After the game, manager Lee Seung-yong praised him: "He was called into start on short notice and likely didn’t have enough time to prepare. Still, Choi delivered his best pitching performance."

He continued, "It’s a pity he couldn’t secure the win himself, but no matter what anyone says, Min-jun is today’s hero. Despite frequent position changes due to team needs, he has quietly fulfilled his role, and as a manager, I am truly grateful for that."

However, SSG secured the victory with Kim Jae-hwan’s go-ahead two-run home run in the top of the eighth and one run scored by Jung Jun-jae on a fielder’s choice in the ninth. Additionally, Choi Ji-hun went 3-for-4 with one run scored, while Park Sung-han went 2-for-4 with one walk and two runs scored, delivering powerful hits throughout.

Manager Lee Seung-yong praised the team: "Kim Jae-hwan led the victory with a swing befitting the fourth hitter, hitting a crucial go-ahead two-run home run. Jung Jun-jae’s clutch run on his speed and Choi Ji-hun’s impressive three-hit performance were also noteworthy."

A total of 19,463 spectators gathered at Jamsil Baseball Stadium that day. Manager Lee Seung-yong added: "Even in the hot and humid weather, I thank all the fans who traveled to support us on this away game until the very end. We will prepare to repay your support with strong performances in the remaining weekend games."

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*This content was translated by AI.