*This content was translated by AI.
Doosan Bears' Kwak Bin (27) and Kiwoom Heroes' An Woo-jin (27), known as the "1999-born best friends" representing the KBO League, delivered a historic "dual 160 km/h speed show" in their first-ever regular-season starting matchup. However, after the game, the victor Kwak Bin's gaze was not on his own record or the win-loss result, but directed toward his long-time friend who had walked the same path with sincere respect.
In the matchup against Kiwoom at Jamsil Baseball Stadium on the 29th, Kwak Bin ignited the scoreboard from the top of the first inning. Against Kiwoom's Hiura, his fourth pitch in a 1-ball-2-strike count reached an astonishing 160.3 km/h. This shattered his previous career-best velocity of 159.1 km/h recorded just six days earlier against the Lotte Giants at Jamsil on the 23rd, setting a new personal record.
An Woo-jin did not back down in response. Despite being in his comeback season after surgery, he countered with his signature destructive power, delivering heavy fastballs averaging 160 km/h (with an average fastball speed of 156 km/h). This unprecedented scene in KBO history saw both starting pitchers exceed 160 km/h in the same game.
Kwak Bin secured the victory. He threw 96 pitches over six innings, allowing five hits and three walks while striking out eight batters with two earned runs, achieving a Quality Start (QS) and earning his 11th win of the season. In contrast, An Woo-jin took the loss after pitching five innings, allowing seven hits (including one home run), three walks, striking out five batters, and giving up five earned runs. Although Kiwoom manager Seol Jong-jin (53) had stated before the game that An Woo-jin might exceed 100 pitches, he was taken off the mound early.
However, no arrogance could be found in Kwak Bin when they met in the dugout after the game. When asked if he had kept a commemorative ball for breaking the 160th km/h barrier, Kwak Bin waved his hands and laughed. He explained, "I'm just letting that go. For a pitcher, it's a dream velocity, but after throwing such a pitch in the first inning, my balance actually felt off. Rather than focusing on records, my priority was to quickly regain my balance. It seems like the timing and mechanics of my power application momentarily aligned perfectly."
Regarding his first starting matchup against An Woo-jin, his 2018 rookie draft classmate and fellow top fireballer, Kwak Bin openly admitted feeling pressure. Responding to related questions, he said, "Saying I wasn't aware would be a lie. We're friends who are constantly compared, so I was very conscious of it." He added, "I think my strength unconsciously tightened up, causing my balance to waver. Honestly, I'd prefer we don't have another head-to-head matchup. It's better for both of us," he joked.
Yet beneath the jokes lay deep camaraderie. When asked what thoughts came to mind while watching An Woo-jin on the mound, Kwak Bin paused briefly before confessing, "It was a bit touching." He continued, "(An) Woo-jin has also had difficult times due to injuries, and I too went through a period of hardship with surgery and long rehabilitation. The fact that we can both throw pitches on the same mound without injury and in good health is truly meaningful and touching," he expressed with emotion.
On this day at Jamsil, scouts from five Major League Baseball teams — the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Kansas City Royals, Toronto Blue Jays, and San Diego Padres — closely observed both fireballers' pitches on-site. When reporters asked if there was a scenario where they might face each other in the MLB, Kwak Bin replied, "If we're going to have another matchup, it would be far better to do it there (in the MLB)." He then added with a smile, "I'd like to stop doing this domestically now (laughs). Woo-jin is still cautious this year as he's in his comeback process, but everyone will be surprised by his performance next year. It's no easy feat to return after such a long break and throw at this level," he emphasized.
Kwak Bin continued, acknowledging An Woo-jin remains "one step above" despite his own dominant pace this season. "I'm not being humble. People only judge based on current appearances, but look at the records Woo-jin set in the 2022 season. At just 23 years old, he threw over 190 innings and established a record-breaking performance in KBO history. Since then, no pitcher has matched that except for my senior Ryu Hyun-jin. As long as I don't achieve an ERA under 1.00, I cannot compare to Woo-jin," he offered high praise.
Even after securing the win, Kwak Bin humbled himself and genuinely cheered for his friend's resurgence. These two "monster fireballers" — fierce rivals on the mound and steadfast companions off it — are now looking beyond Jamsil toward an even broader stage: Major League Baseball.
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*This content was translated by AI.
