He didn't run away even against an opponent with 60 MLB wins! Yeom Kyung-yeop also smiled at the fearless strike of LG's 20-year-old right-hander. [Changwon on-site]

*This content was translated by AI.

The opposing starter, Mike Cleavinger (36·NC Dinos), was a veteran who had recorded 60 wins exclusively in Major League Baseball (MLB). However, LG's 20-year-old rookie Park Si-won showed no signs of being intimidated.

On the 16th, Park Si-won made his first start at Changwon NC Park in Gyeongnam for the 2026 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League regular-season matchup against visiting NC. He threw 52 pitches over four innings, leading LG to a 9-2 victory and extending their winning streak to four games.

The day's focus was on NC's new foreign pitcher, Cleavinger. This was his debut in the KBO League after compiling a record of 60 wins and 44 losses with an ERA of 3.55 across 164 career MLB appearances. Cleavinger, who threw a four-seam fastball reaching speeds up to 150 km/h, finished his first outing with three innings pitched, allowing two hits, issuing three walks, striking out one batter, and surrendering one earned run.

On the other side stood Park Si-won, born in 2006. A graduate of Gyeongnam High School, he was a promising right-handed pitcher selected by LG in the sixth round (60th overall) of the 2025 KBO Rookie Draft. Since high school, his imposing physique of 193 cm and 93 kg, paired with a heavy fastball and a large slider, earned him high praise. Even after throwing over 70 pitches in the fifth inning, his stamina, capable of maintaining speeds above 150 km/h, was considered an attractive trait.

The issue lay in his control. Due to inconsistent pitching balance, he struggled to consistently throw strikes despite possessing quality pitches. This was also why opinions among LG scouts diverged ahead of the draft.

Two years later, Park Si-won delivered a different performance in the same Changwon venue. His top velocity that day was 148 km/h, actually slower than Cleavinger's. His repertoire was also simple: 26 four-seam fastballs, 17 cutters, and nine curveballs. What stood out most was his control. He engaged directly with NC's veteran batters, creating favorable count situations for himself.

This began in the first inning. Although he allowed a double to leadoff batter Park Min-woo (33), he remained composed. He struck out Kwon Hee-dong (36) with a lookout by attacking both inside and outside the strike zone, and Blaine Cream (29) was retired on a swing-and-miss after being hit by a high four-seam fastball. Even Park Min-woo, who had reached base, was caught attempting to steal, allowing Park Si-won to complete the first inning without further damage.

In the second inning, he again allowed consecutive baserunners, leading to a bases-loaded situation with no outs. This time, he induced Lee Woo-seong (32) into a groundout to start a double play, and Cheon Jae-hwan (32) was retired on a fly ball to center field after being hit by a high fastball.

The third inning was even more impressive. He struck out Kim Hyung-jun (27) with a sequence of fastball-curveball-cutter-fastball, all resulting in swing-and-miss strikeouts. After allowing a hit to Kim Han-byul (25), he faced Park Min-woo again, boldly placing fastballs around 145 km/h both inside and outside the strike zone. He secured a favorable 1-ball, 2-strike count and ultimately induced a 4-6-3 double play with an inside fastball.

There was only one mistake that stood out as regrettable. In the fourth inning with two outs and a runner on first base, a high slider thrown to Park Geon-woo (36) soared over the center-field fence. It was a 130-meter walk-off two-run home run that gave NC the lead.

However, what followed after surrendering the home run was even more impressive. The next batter was Lee Woo-seong. Instead of wavering, Park Si-won returned to the strike zone. He repeatedly threw breaking balls inside, quickly building a 0-ball, 2-strike count. On his fourth pitch, he induced a groundout with an inside four-seam fastball. Even at a moment when he might have lowered his head, he continued throwing his own pitches and finished his four innings on his own terms.

This was precisely the performance LG had expected from Park Si-won. Yeom Kyung-yeop (58), LG's manager, had previously stated during Japan's spring training in February: "I never ignore numbers. Based solely on TrackMan data, Park Si-won is better than Kim Young-woo. His fastball RPM exceeds 2,500." He had given high praise to the young pitcher.

It wasn't just about his fast velocity. Manager Yeom saw potential in Park Si-won to grow into a starting pitcher. He remarked: "Although Park Si-won currently lacks the control required of a starter, he possesses the potential to become one. He may initially be used as a reliever, but ultimately he must transition to the rotation. If he continues to develop well, he could possess destructive power comparable to Moon Dong-ju."

The 20-year-old rookie is gradually proving those expectations. Since entering the starting rotation in earnest on the 15th of last month, he has appeared in six games with an ERA of 4.64, slowly establishing his own identity. Now, even against a pitcher with 60 MLB wins, he held his ground without being overwhelmed.

After the game, Manager Yeom commented: "Park Si-won fulfilled his role well as a starter. Go Woo-seok also played a crucial part in securing the victory by pitching effectively for 2⅓ innings, and I want to commend him."

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*This content was translated by AI.