"These days, everyone throws at 155 km/h." How did the KIA Tigers' ace reliever, who had been stressed by a drop in velocity, achieve an ERA of 1.13 in the second half with fastballs around 145 km/h?

*This content was translated by AI.

Once, he also threw fastballs clocking in at 150 km/h. Now, he often throws balls around 145 km/h, but Jeon Sang-hyun (30) still firmly guards the back door of the KIA Tigers.

The game against KT Wiz held on the 5th at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field was a match that truly showed what kind of pitcher Jeon Sang-hyun is. In the bottom of the 8th inning with one out and bases loaded, while KIA led 4-3, he took the mound. It was a life-or-death situation where a single hit would tie the game and a extra-base hit could lead to a comeback.

His first opponent was Choi Won-jun. Jeon Sang-hyun intended to strike him out from the start. However, the forkball thrown with a 2-2 count did not drop low as intended. Choi Won-jun handled the high pitch well and made solid contact. The well-hit ball headed straight for Ha Joo-seok. Ha caught it, stepped on second base, and Jang Jin-hyeok was also called out for being late returning to the bag, ending the inning in an instant.

Jeon Sang-hyun was not satisfied with the result. Meeting reporters after the game, Jeon Sang-hyun calmly said, "I threw with the mindset of always striking out the first batter. But I made a mistake. Although I won the outcome, looking at the process, I think I lost. Luck played a huge role."

After overcoming the crisis through luck, Jeon Sang-hyun's strengths truly shone. In the top of the 8th, Na Sung-beom hit a two-run home run, extending KIA's lead to 6-3. Returning to the mound in the 9th, Jeon faced KT's core lineup: Kim Hyun-soo, Ahn Hyeon-min, and Sam Hilliard.

Against Kim Hyun-soo, he repeatedly dropped outside forkballs to record a 3-pitch strikeout. Against Ahn Hyeon-min, he targeted the low zone, inducing a foul fly out to the first baseman. Against Hilliard, he mixed forkballs, fastballs, and curveballs to disrupt his timing, turning it into a swinging strikeout.

Fastballs clocking 150 km/h were not necessary. Jeon Sang-hyun's greatest weapon is no longer velocity but control and breaking balls. His career walk rate is 3.2 per nine innings, and this year it is only 0.98. According to the Korean baseball statistics site Statiz, his slider has a usage rate of 35.9% with a batting average against of 0.105, while his forkball has a usage rate of 20.5% with a batting average against of 0.154, demonstrating their power.

This was an inevitable change. After shoulder labrum surgery in 2021, his fastball velocity dropped, and as he suffered arm and elbow injuries, his pitching form changed without him even realizing it. For the past year, he has been doing drill training daily with KIA first-division bullpen coach Kim Ji-yong, focusing on using his lower body and shoulders effectively. However, results did not come easily, deepening his concerns. Jeon Sang-hyun revealed his honest feelings: "Recently, my (fastball) speed isn't coming out much, and my stuff has dropped significantly, so I am pitching mainly with breaking balls. I have been very stressed about my balance and the quality of my pitches."

Especially when looking at the mound these days, comparison is inevitable. Recently in the KBO League, it is easy to find relief pitchers throwing fastballs over 150 km/h. Jeon Sang-hyun noted, "Actually, I have never been a pitcher whose strength was speed, so I had no greed and wasn't being chased. But these days, even young pitchers and other teams are all exceeding 150 km/h. There are many pitchers throwing 155 km/h or even 160 km/h. So I think I look slower than others."

He did not try to forcibly regain his lost velocity. Instead, he chose to pitch accurately. Jeon Sang-hyun said, "I have no desire for speed. I do have a desire for quality of pitches." He added, "I really hate walks. I try to finish innings with as few pitches as possible. I'd rather throw with the mindset of getting hit."

Because of this stability, Manager Lee Beom-ho seeks out Jeon Sang-hyun first in tight games against. The manager recently expressed trust in Jeon Sang-hyun, stating that "as tight games continue, he uses pitchers who are mentally stable and can throw without major changes."

The thorough workload management by Manager Lee Beom-ho and the coaching staff is also a great strength. Jeon Sang-hyun said, "Looking at other teams, many make three consecutive appearances, but our team never faces such situations. They manage us so well that others would be envious. I am always grateful."

As a result, despite the setback of a shoulder labrum injury, Jeon Sang-hyun has recorded double-digit holds for five consecutive years. Additionally, on this day, he recorded his first save in 396 days since the August 5, 2025 game against the Busan Lotte Giants. In 17 games during the second half, he was even more solid with an ERA of 1.13. He is also looking forward to another season with a double-digit ERA after posting a 2.15 ERA in 64 games in 2023.

Now, his goal is neither saves nor the closer's role. Although his speed has slowed down compared to before, the way Jeon Sang-hyun guards the back door of KIA has become even more solid. Jeon Sang-hyun emphasized, "No matter what situation I am in, I have no greed. Since getting injured at the beginning of the season, I have been thinking about just finishing the year without too much ambition."

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*This content was translated by AI.