[Official] 'Season-out' 42-year-old dedicated pitcher Noh Kyung-eun finally undergoes surgery: "I have been running for too long" Manager also acknowledges his hard work

*This content was translated by AI.

Noh Kyung-eun, a 42-year-old pitcher who dedicated himself to the team as an SSG Landers veteran, will finally undergo surgery.

On the 6th, ahead of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular-season home game against Doosan Bears scheduled to be held at Incheon SSG Landers Field, the SSG organization officially announced that "Noh Kyung-eun has been diagnosed with softening of the cartilage in his right knee following a detailed examination and will undergo surgery."

SSG added, "We have finally decided for Noh Kyung-eun to undergo marginal resection of the right knee to ensure healthy pitching next season. This is a treatment method that removes areas causing pain, and surgery is scheduled for mid-September."

As a result, Noh Kyung-eun will end his season.

SSG further emphasized, "We aim for him to fully participate in next spring training through phased rehabilitation after surgery. The organization plans to spare no effort at the club level to support his return with a healthy body."

Ahead of that day's game, SSG manager Lee Sung-yong, the team's commander, said about Noh Kyung-eun's surgery, "Fortunately, it is not major surgery," letting out a sigh of relief.

Manager Lee stated, "He will be able to fully participate starting from next spring training. With Kim Kwang-hyun, Choi Jung, and (Noh) Kyung-eun all finishing the 2026 season quickly, it is positive that they can return in healthy condition for next year."

Continuing, Manager Lee said regarding recent struggles, "I think it is fortunate that he has remained healthy so far. I believe he has been running for too long. Noh Kyung-eun is always the one who trains late and returns home. That is why I think he has endured," while applauding him.

Noh Kyung-eun, who graduated from Hwagok Elementary School, Seongnam Middle School, and Seongnam High School, was selected first overall in the 2003 rookie draft and donned a Doosan Bears uniform. At the time, his signing bonus alone was 350 million won. He was a top-tier ace who drew such high expectations.

However, it took considerable time to unleash his potential. It was not until the 2012 season, his 10th year with the team, that he finally shone. Playing both as a starter and reliever without distinction, he appeared in 42 games, including his first career shutout victory, recording 12 wins, 6 losses, and an ERA of 2.53, standing tall as a pillar of the Doosan mound. In 2013, he was selected for the World Baseball Classic (WBC) team and earned the right to wear the national emblem.

There were many twists and turns. In 2014, he took on 15 losses, bearing the disgrace of being the league's pitcher with the most losses. Following the appointment of then-Doosan manager Kim Tae-hyung in 2015, Noh Kyung-eun faced overlapping injuries and poor form, managing to pitch only 58⅓ innings.

2016 was the most significant trial period in his baseball career. He initially secured opportunities as a starter at the beginning of the season but could not avoid struggles. When he received notice to go to the minor league, he suddenly declared retirement. At that time, the club requested the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) on May 10 to process his voluntary withdrawal registration. However, just three days later on May 13, Noh Kyung-eun expressed his intention to reverse his decision, and the club withdrew its request, bringing the situation to a temporary close.

Noh Kyung-eun then moved to Lotte Giants via trade, aiming for a comeback over five seasons with Lotte. In the 2018 season, he achieved solid results with 9 wins, 6 losses, and an ERA of 4.08, earning his first free agent (FA) eligibility in his career. However, market evaluation was cold. Facing difficulties in contract negotiations, he remained unsigned. Ultimately, he took the entire 2019 season off. Ahead of the 2020 season, he reunited with his original team, Lotte, and returned. After playing two more seasons, he received a release notice following the conclusion of the 2021 season.

The team that embraced Noh Kyung-eun was SSG. Immediately after being released, he took SSG's signing test and passed with confidence. The move to SSG proved to be a masterstroke. He showed a completely revitalized appearance, as if rejuvenated. From the 2022 season through the 2024 season, he pitched more than 75 innings each year. During this period, he appeared in 194 games, recording 29 wins, 15 losses, 75 holds, and an ERA of 3.18. Notably, in the 2024 season, he achieved the first-ever back-to-back 30-holds record in KBO League history and claimed the title of oldest holds champion.

Ultimately, ahead of the 2025 season, he signed an FA contract with SSG. At that time, the contract was for 2+1 years with a total value of 2.5 billion won (signing bonus 300 million won, salary 1.3 billion won, options 900 million won). Ahead of this season, he was also selected for the 2026 WBC national team and pitched for his country. However, due to the aftermath of a knee injury this season, he experienced some instability. He appeared in 52 games this season, recording 3 wins, 5 losses, 10 holds, and an ERA of 4.72. Over a total of 47⅔ innings, he allowed 49 hits (including 11 home runs), issued 19 walks, recorded 36 strikeouts, and gave up 27 runs (25 earned). His detailed statistics included an on-base plus slugging percentage (WHIP) of 1.43 and a batting average against of 0.271. Ultimately, after securing a hold in the game against Hanwha Eagles on the 27th of last month, he could not return to the mound and made the decision to undergo surgery. What kind of performance will Noh Kyung-eun show next season? SSG fans continue to applaud his dedicated efforts.

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*This content was translated by AI.