A blockbuster move to the starting rotation! Kiwoom's Kim Sung-jin records a 9-inning scoreless complete victory in the Futures League, achieving a historic milestone for the Heroes — the first time since left-hander Park Jong-yoon 13 years ago.

*This content was translated by AI.

Kiwoom Heroes right-handed pitcher Kim Sung-jin (29) delivered a brilliant performance, securing his first career complete victory on the Futures League stage.

On the 13th, Kim made his starting debut against Hanwha Eagles at the Goyang National Baseball Training Center in the 2026 KBO Futures League. Over 9 innings, he allowed just 5 hits and 1 walk while striking out 4 batters without surrendering a run, earning the complete victory.

This marks the 49th such achievement in Futures League history and the third in Kiwoom's franchise history, following Park Sung-hoon in 2010 and Park Jong-yoon in 2013.

Kim joined the team as a second-round pick (overall 29th) in the 2021 Rookie Draft and primarily worked out of the bullpen until he switched to a starting role on July 31 this year. His first-division stats for the season so far stand at 32 games, 1 win, 2 losses, 8 holds, and an ERA of 5.75.

Notably, in his five starts up to the game on the 13th, Kim has consistently delivered stable pitching, showcasing his potential as a starting pitcher. With this complete victory, his Futures League record for the season improved to 8 games, 32⅓ innings, 2 wins, 2 losses, and an ERA of 1.39.

After the game, Kim said, "Coach Jung Chan-heon advised me, 'Instead of trying to go long and letting runners accumulate, start strong from the beginning.' He also boosted my confidence by saying that since my pitch velocity and balance were good today, batters wouldn't be able to attack easily. That encouragement helped me deliver a great performance. Whenever my balance wavered, catcher (Kim) Siang came up to the mound to help me reset, which was a huge boost."

Regarding his strategy for leading the complete victory, Kim explained, "When I started as a starter, I had an urge to pitch long innings no matter what. But Coach Jung reminded me not to look back and focus only on each inning ahead. When there were no runners, I focused on making contact; when runners were on base, I pushed hard like during my bullpen days, concentrating solely on the duel with each batter. That approach proved effective."

Kim Sung-jin, who is in his first season after completing military service, did not hide his ambition to reach the first division. He stated, "It would be ideal if I could start in the first division, but regardless of my role, I want to maintain this good form and contribute to the team at that level. It hasn't been easy as it's my first year back from service, but I've learned a lot in the second division and am building competitiveness. I'm grateful to the fans who came to support us, and every time I step on the mound, I will give it my all."

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*This content was translated by AI.