'Is Wang Yencheng a target? That's actually better' Noh Si-hwan warns, "It won't be difficult; Lin Weimin is more tricky"

*This content was translated by AI.

The 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games baseball national team is showing confidence about the crucial turning point in the group stage. This confidence also extends to Wang Yencheng (25, Taiwan), known as Hanwha Eagles' "lucky charm," who has been writing a success story in the KBO League and knows Korean players better than anyone else.

The Korean national baseball team, led by manager Ryu Ji-hyun (55), will face Taiwan in the first match of Group B in the group stage on the 21st. The game against Taiwan is the most important milestone on the path to the finals for a team aiming for its fifth consecutive gold medal. Naturally, attention also focuses on whether Wang Yencheng will take the mound.

Wang Yencheng, who joined Hanwha this season under the Asia quota system, became a successful case of the Asia quota by recording the most wins and most innings (133⅔ innings) on the team.

Although he has been struggling recently, he remains one of the most anticipated pitchers for the Taiwan national team. Given his deep knowledge of Korea, it is expected that he will likely take the mound against Korean opponents.

Manager Ryu Ji-hyun, who leads the national team, is closely monitoring this situation. In the final match against KT Wiz held before joining the Taiwan national team on the 15th, he pitched four innings and allowed five runs, taking responsibility for the loss. Manager Ryu stated, "His velocity was not as good as when his condition was optimal, and his control wavered, leading to earned runs. There may also be an impact from pneumonia." He added, "Short-term tournaments have a different level of tension compared to pennant races. If he starts against us, we need to carefully check his early-game condition on the day."

In short-term tournaments, pitchers become even more critical variables. There are many cases where teams fail to adapt to unfamiliar pitchers and end up losing. In that regard, Wang Yencheng is a very familiar player. However, since Wang Yencheng has also accumulated sufficient data on Korean batters over the course of a season, concerns remain that he could pose a significant threat to Korea.

Manager Ryu predicted, "The conditions are the same. While Wang Yencheng may be familiar with the tendencies of Korean batters, our batters are equally not unfamiliar with him, so they should be able to compete more comfortably at the plate."

Noh Si-hwan (26), the "national team captain" who shares a meal with Hanwha, spoke even more confidently. Noh Si-hwan said, "Although I am very close with Wang Yencheng, he is also a pitcher well-known to players from other teams. In international tournaments, it's not difficult to face pitchers you've never seen before; honestly, facing familiar pitches isn't that hard." He added, "If Wang Yencheng takes the mound, the Korean national team doesn't think it will be that difficult," expressing his confidence.

Although Noh Si-hwan has not yet faced 'Hanwha's Wang Yencheng' as a teammate due to their shared club affiliation, he does have past head-to-head experience. It was during the Asia Professional Baseball Championship (APBC). Noh Si-hwan smiled and recalled, "I remember hitting an RBI single against Wang Yencheng with a runner on third base at that time." He then emphasized, "His pitches have improved since then, but now we will face him as opponents, so I want to convey the message that the Korean national team will not hold back and that it won't be easy for them."

Instead, he warns against another left-handed ace, Lin Weimin (Arizona Diamondbacks). At the finals of the 2023 Hangzhou Games three years ago, Lin Weimin demonstrated his strength by recording one win and one loss over two games against Korea, pitching 11 innings with 11 strikeouts and an ERA of 1.64.

Noh Si-hwan stated, "Actually, Lin Weimin is more difficult. His pitch movement is excellent and tricky. There are actually more familiar players than those we've never faced before." He added, "Players we have already faced have shared many insights about his trajectory and other details. I think we need to come prepared with a firm mindset against Lin Weimin," issuing a stern warning.

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*This content was translated by AI.