National Team Ace, a Challenge Thrown at Korean Baseball: "Non-Professional Players... Felt the Wall Against Japan More Strongly"

*This content was translated by AI.

"I felt the wall against Japan even more strongly."

As Korean baseball secured its fifth consecutive gold medal at the Asian Games, the expression of national team ace Kwak Bin (27, Doosan Bears) did not appear particularly bright.

In an interview with domestic broadcasters immediately after the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games final against Japan held on the 27th at Toyota City Citizen Stadium in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, Kwak Bin said, "If I had prevented the crisis in the seventh inning, my expression might have been brighter... I felt too sorry to my teammates. There were a few mistakes in my pitches that turned into hits, and I couldn't even look my juniors in the eye. Many players were selected as the eldest brother through the wildcard and had high expectations, but I feel sorry that I couldn't meet all of them."

Kwak Bin, who started the game that day, held the scoreless line through six innings but allowed three consecutive hits in the bottom of the seventh while leading 1-0, tying the game at 1-1. He left the mound with one out and runners on first and second bases. Afterward, Jo Byung-hyun and Park Young-hyun prevented further runs, and the batting lineup scored two runs in the top of the eighth inning, securing a 3-1 victory for Korea.

Although they ultimately won the gold medal, the path was not smooth. Korea, composed entirely of professional players, suffered a decisive 0-5 defeat against Japan, which fielded amateur (corporate) players in the Super Round on the 25th. In particular, they were held to just four hits and no runs over seven innings by Japan's starting pitcher Higuichi Shin (24, Oji). Even after resting for one day, Higuichi started again in the final match that day, limiting Korea to three innings with four hits and only one run.

Kwak Bin also did not forget the challenge Korean baseball must address. Regarding Higuichi, he remarked, "His velocity isn't particularly fast, but he excels at timing battles, control, and tempo adjustment." He added, "We lost to Japan the day before yesterday and reflected deeply. I always thought Japanese baseball was of high quality, but seeing non-professional players deliver such excellent pitching and hitting made me feel even more strongly about the gap."

Nevertheless, Kwak Bin delivered outstanding performances in this tournament, playing a decisive role in securing the gold medal. In the opening match on the 21st against Taiwan during the group stage, he started six innings without allowing any hits or runs, leading his team to a 5-0 victory. In the final, he pitched 6⅓ innings, throwing 111 pitches and allowing only four hits and one run. His two-game record stands at 12⅓ innings, 19 strikeouts, one earned run, and an ERA of 0.73.

Representative team head coach Ryu Ji-hyun (55), who also serves as the team's manager, unhesitatingly named Kwak Bin as this tournament's MVP, expressing his gratitude by saying, "There are no words beyond praise."

Who did Kwak Bin choose as the MVP? He stated, "There are two. I think it's (Jo) Hyung-woo (24, SSG Landers) and (Kim) Ju-won (24, NC Dinos)." He continued, "Hyung-woo is crucial in short tournaments where pitch selection matters for catchers. Except for our one game against Japan in the Super Round, we didn't concede many points. He worked hard on blocking and also took good care of the team's pitchers. Ju-won gave his all with both his bat and defense (as a shortstop). His performance representing the country was truly the best."

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

*This content was translated by AI.