"Whether it was two innings or three..." Manager Lee Seung-yong's explanation, despite the active performances of Cho Hyung-woo and Jung Jun-jae: "They couldn't do it here, so they must do it well" — a cheerful cheer

*This content was translated by AI.

"(Jo) Byung-hyun pitched two innings."

Although closer Jo Byung-hyun (24, SSG Landers) was managed meticulously, reports on the reaction of Lee Seung-yong (55), manager of SSG, who witnessed him pitch only two innings at the 2026 Aichi·Nagoya Asian Games, were somewhat ambiguous.

Manager Lee took to the explanation. Meeting with reporters ahead of the Samsung Lions home game at Incheon SSG Landers Field on the 24th for the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League, Manager Lee stated, "I am also friends with Manager Ryu Ji-hyun, so I was just joking. I said that if Byung-hyun pitched two innings, whether it was two or three, he should have won a gold medal."

Jo Byung-hyun, selected for the national team, appeared in the 7th inning of the first group stage match against Taiwan on the 21st, throwing 22 pitches over two innings with three strikeouts and scoreless pitching to help Korea secure a 5-0 victory. Ahead of the KT Wiz game on the 22nd, Manager Lee mentioned that Jo had never pitched for such a long duration before.

This led to reports suggesting that Manager Lee Seung-yong showed a somewhat uncomfortable reaction, but he clarified that was not his intention.

SSG has been meticulously managing its bullpen to avoid overexertion since coach Kyung Heon-ho joined last year. This applies equally to closer Jo Byung-hyun. In the current season alone, he pitched multiple innings in only four of 52 games; even then, it was three times for four outs and once for five outs. Thus, while his reaction may have been somewhat surprised, it did not indicate any discomfort.

Manager Lee, who has been closely following the Asian Games, smiled and said, "Aren't our players doing well right now? Since they couldn't do it here, they must do it well."

Although he earned the national team jersey due to his caliber worthy of representing the league, Manager Lee jokingly pointed out that Jo Byung-hyun, along with Jung Jun-jae and Cho Hyung-woo selected for the Ham Kke (CEO) team, had experienced ups and downs in their recent 10 games with batting averages of 0.222 and 0.226, respectively, before heading to the national team. In the Ban Myeon (CEO) team, Cho Hyung-woo recorded four hits in four at-bats including a bases-loaded home run against Hong Kong, with one walk, five RBIs, and one run scored, while Jung Jun-jae went 4-for-4 with three RBIs and four runs scored, both performing brilliantly.

If the national team wins a gold medal, it will undoubtedly be a significant boost for SSG. Jo Byung-hyun has already fulfilled his military service in the Army Baseball Team (Sangmu), but Jung Jun-jae and Cho Hyung-woo are still unfulfilled. If they win a gold medal, they can contribute to their teams without major career impacts, having only completed basic military training.

Manager Lee said, "Even before heading to the Asian Games, all three of them stated, 'We must win a gold medal come what may; we cannot go without that spirit.' I believe they can win medals with such urgent determination. Fortunately, they prepared well and were given rest time, so I will cheer for them to perform well until the end and definitely bring home a gold medal."

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*This content was translated by AI.