Kwak Bin's Ultra-High Alert: "Taiwan's Unconventional Move? Honestly, It Was a Variable; We Have Another Ace → Must Win the Championship"

*This content was translated by AI.

South Korea's national baseball team "native ace" Kwak Bin (27, Doosan Bears) led his team to victory in the first match against Taiwan with a flawless scoreless performance, yet he remained far from complacent. Instead, he calmly analyzed the opponent's strategic moves and maintained an "ultra-high alert" all the way to the final game.

On the 21st, Kwak Bin made his starting appearance in the first group stage B match against Taiwan at Okazaki Central General Park Baseball Stadium in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, during the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. He delivered a no-hit performance over six innings (no hits allowed, two walks, ten strikeouts, scoreless), completely dominating the game's momentum. Kwak Bin threw exactly 90 pitches that day.

This was the imposing presence of Doosan's ace, who is currently leading the KBO League with 11 wins and seven losses in 26 games this season, boasting an ERA of 2.26 and topping the league in strikeouts (186). With a powerful fastball reaching speeds in the mid-to-late 150 km/h range and sharp breaking balls, he tightly contained Taiwan's lineup, fully meeting the 120th% trust placed in him by head coach Ryu Ji-hyun, who had selected him as the starter for the Taiwan match from the outset.

After the game, Kwak Bin met with reporters, exhaling a sigh of relief while remaining composed and not overly excited. He said, "I knew how important the first game is for the national team, so I threw carefully and gave my best effort," adding, "Still, it's a relief that we got a good result."

Since his last appearance on the 9th against SSG Landers at Jamsil Stadium, this was his first real-game outing after about two weeks, so early challenges were clear. Kwak Bin stated, "My game feel was slightly off. I needed to quickly grasp the umpire's strike zone and check batters' intentions and reactions." He also said, "(Jung) Hyung-woo and I had many conversations; he really helped me a lot," expressing gratitude to the catcher for their excellent battery coordination. Despite striking out 10 batters, he added, "I focused more on command than velocity, so I'm a bit disappointed about giving up unnecessary walks," offering a cool self-assessment.

Especially that day, Kwak Bin's focus was not on the joy of victory but on the "next match." Taiwan's starting card against Korea was itself an unprecedented move. The protagonist was 20-year-old right-handed traditional pitcher Lin Yi-wei (20, Hezuo Savings Bank). Until just before the game, he was a completely unknown pitcher shrouded in mystery among Korean batters. Having not been selected in the 2024 Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) rookie draft, he joined Hezuo Savings Bank, a prestigious amateur baseball club, as a "professional Gyeong Heom (EVP)" resource.

This was an unconventional strategic move that kept well-known starting cards such as Lin Wei-min (23, Triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks), known as a "Killer of Korea," and Hanwha Eagles left-hander Wang Yencheng (25) in reserve, instead fielding a pitcher from an unknown amateur league for the match against Korea.

Kwak Bin also accurately perceived this strategy by the opponent. Regarding Taiwan's mound usage, he began by saying, "From my perspective, it seems they made a very good strategic decision," then added, "I knew there was another ace on their side, and I thought they were saving him for later instead of bringing him out immediately. Honestly, that was a huge variable." Even after his strong performance, he kept in mind hidden cards like Lin Wei-min and Wang Yencheng, never lowering his guard.

Therefore, with the goal of winning a "gold medal," Kwak Bin tightened his resolve further. He emphasized, "One game today is not enough to motivate me yet. The Woo Ri (CEO) team must win the championship." He then firmly stated, "If I pitch well in the final match, I will be endlessly happy and celebrate then. I will forget today's game, recover properly until my next appearance, prepare thoroughly to throw more innings and achieve better results."

He also did not forget to sincerely thank the fans who traveled abroad to support the team. Finally, Kwak Bin bowed his head and said, "It was truly new and a great source of strength to see fans from all 10 clubs coming all the way to Japan and uniting as one to cheer for us. I am genuinely grateful."

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*This content was translated by AI.