'ERA 5.92 to AG 0.00': Why did Lee Kang-cheol smile? The 'Golden Left-Hander' returns to first-place KT after pitching 5 innings with 9 strikeouts and no walks or hit batters

*This content was translated by AI.

There was a reason why KT Wiz manager Lee Kang-cheol (60) did not worry about Oh Won-seok (25), who had underperformed in national team evaluation matches. The left-hander, who returned from the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games with a gold medal, will now contribute to KT's final standings battle as they aim for the regular season championship.

Oh Won-seok finished this tournament with a record of one win and no losses in two games, posting an ERA of 0.00. He recorded nine strikeouts without issuing any walks or hit batters over five innings. In particular, in the group stage match against Thailand on the 23rd, he started and shut down the opposition for four innings with just one hit allowed, no walks or hit batters, and eight strikeouts. He dominated the Thai lineup and completed his first appearance of the tournament perfectly.

He also delivered when it mattered most. Three days later, in the Super Round match against China, he faced a bases-loaded, two-out situation in the top of the eighth inning. A run could have shifted the momentum of the game, but Oh Won-seok struck out all three remaining batters. South Korea weathered the crisis and secured a foothold for advancing to the final.

His self-assessment was coldly honest. After returning home via Incheon International Airport on the 28th, Oh Won-seok said, "Since I finished the game scoreless, I wondered if I should give myself high marks, but I still feel there is a lot lacking in terms of pitch velocity and control." He added, "I don't really know how to rate it. I just feel like I am still far from where I need to be."

The regular season this year has not been easy for Oh Won-seok. Before being called up to the national team, he had appeared in 21 games for KT, recording a record of six wins and seven losses with one hold and an ERA of 5.92. Over 92 two-thirds innings, he issued 30 walks, struck out 88 batters, allowed a batting average against of 0.298, and posted a WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched) of 1.52. It was a record that was difficult to call stable.

In August, he was briefly removed from the first division roster due to poor performance to allow time for adjustment. As the national team call-up approached, things gradually changed. In three games in September after switching from starter to reliever, he recorded an ERA of 1.42. By taking responsibility for up to three innings in a single game, he showed potential as a long reliever capable of handling multiple innings, rather than just a short-burst left-handed bullpen arm.

There was also a moment of crisis after joining the national team. In an evaluation match against Sangmu on the 17th, he allowed four consecutive hits starting from the first batter, wavered, and gave up two runs in one inning. However, manager Lee Kang-cheol did not worry much at the time. Instead, he said, "It is fine," adding, "(Oh) Won-seok has value as a reliever even after returning." He noted that Oh is a left-hander who does not significantly distinguish between right- and left-handed batters and can take responsibility for more than two innings.

Ultimately, Oh Won-seok lived up to the manager's expectations at the Asian Games. He erased the unease caused by four consecutive hits in the evaluation match and delivered a result of five scoreless innings with no walks or hit batters and nine strikeouts in actual competition.

Now KT is waiting for Oh Won-seok. Even with three key pitchers—Oh Won-seok, So Hyoung-jun (25), and Park Young-hyun (23)—called up to the national team, KT maintained its lead. On the 24th, they secured their first 80 wins in franchise history, and on the 27th, they defeated the Doosan Bears 12-6 to record a record of 81 wins, four draws, and 49 losses. The gap with second-place Samsung Lions is three games, and the magic number for the regular season championship is eight.

Starting on the 29th, they will play a three-game road series against the KIA Tigers in Gwangju. Only 10 games remain in the regular season. At a time when the weight of each game and each inning is greater than ever, the national team pitchers are returning. The golden left-hander, having completely shed the burden, now looks only to KT's championship.

Oh Won-seok said, "There are only 10 games left, right? I have been keeping a close eye on it." He added, "Just as in the national team, this is a truly critical period for KT in the standings battle, so I think I need to do my best to help the team and pitch hard."

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*This content was translated by AI.