Yoon Dong-hee's honest confession: "My heart was heavy when I was selected for the AG, but I prepared hard and finally felt some relief... I really wanted to go to the WBC too..."

*This content was translated by AI.

There are players who definitely change when they wear the national team uniform. That player is Lotte Giants outfielder Yoon Dong-hee (23). Yoon, who entered as a substitute rather than a starter, delivered a decisive solo home run in a situation where his team needed to pull away, contributing to the national team's first victory and shaking off the heavy burden he had carried.

On the 21st, Yoon Dong-hee appeared as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the 8th inning with the score at 4-0 against Taiwan during the Group B first match of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games baseball tournament held at Okazaki Central General Park Baseball Stadium in Okazaki, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. He hit a decisive solo home run that soared over the left-field fence off pitcher Wang Wei-jie. It was a perfect swing that created such an ideal trajectory that one could immediately sense it was a home run just by watching the ball's flight path right after contact.

In fact, Yoon Dong-hee's journey this season was not smooth. He played 75 games in the regular season with a batting average of 0.241 (60 hits in 249 at-bats), 5 home runs, and 24 RBIs, remaining in the minor league until just before being called up for the Asian Games. However, memories of his performance during the 2022 Hangzhou Games remained vivid, where he hit a batting average of 0.435 (10 hits in 26 at-bats) with 1 home run, playing a key role in securing the gold medal.

After the game, Yoon Dong-hee met with reporters and said about the result, "I feel satisfied because I achieved what seems to be the highest outcome as a batter," while adding, "I think it was luck, and I will continue humbly." He spoke calmly.

He honestly revealed the intense pressure he felt when selected for the national team. Yoon Dong-hee said, "When I was selected, my heart was very heavy. I had a lot of burden thinking, 'Am I really supposed to go when I'm producing results that don't fit the Ji Geum (CEO) team?' But since I prepared hard and could show this performance in today's game, I feel somewhat relieved," he smiled.

He also did not hide his regret over going through a slump tunnel. Yoon Dong-hee confessed, "When I looked back at myself, I really wanted to go to the WBC (World Baseball Classic)." He continued, "Not being able to go made me realize how much I still lack, so I prepared much harder than in previous winters. But even with hard work, there are years like this one where things don't go as planned," he reflected.

He further added, "I felt burdened coming to the national team when my performance wasn't good, but I positively thought it could become a good opportunity. If there hadn't been this Asian Games, I might have wandered more while continuing baseball in the future. Meeting new coaches and players in a different environment broadened my perspective and gave me a very important time to reflect on parts of myself I had overlooked."

Yoon Dong-hee, who started the game from the bench after being excluded from the starting lineup that day, cited the tight dugout atmosphere as a key factor in their victory. "All players who didn't get to play cheered until our throats were hoarse. (So) Hyung-jun and I shouted 'fighting' with great passion. Thanks to that, the atmosphere didn't fade even during the crucial 7th inning," he explained.

Three years after the Hangzhou Games, he has become a senior player within the national team, yet he never forgets offering warm encouragement to his juniors. Yoon Dong-hee said, "The Na Go-ya (CEO) team atmosphere is much more energetic than during the Hangzhou Games. The younger players are so skilled at baseball that I have even more to learn from them." He also shared, "I told players who didn't perform well today not to be discouraged, saying, 'It's only the first game, and there are still many at-bats left. If you play like this, it will work out.'"

Yoon Dong-hee, who perfectly buttoned up the first step, said, "I thought the first game was the most important, but I'm relieved we started on a good note. Using today's game as a stepping stone, I will maintain a positive atmosphere until the end," he vowed.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.