"If it feels even slightly risky, I will give up on 10 wins": 25-year-old national team right-hander, but the manager said, "We will secure all your titles." So why did he do that?

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

So Hyoung-jun (25) of the KT Wiz secured his ninth win of the season, but he looked beyond personal statistics toward an even bigger stage. Having shed the regret of having to watch last year's postseason from home, he is now preparing for the Korea Series as a starting pitcher for the regular season champions.

So Hyoung-jun started in the home game against the Samsung Lions at Suwon KT Wiz Park on the 7th in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular season, pitching five innings with two hits allowed, two walks, and five strikeouts while allowing no runs, leading KT to a 9-3 victory. With this, he recorded his ninth win of the season (three losses), bringing his record to an ERA of 3.23, 125⅓ innings pitched, and 98 strikeouts.

Centering on 35 two-seam fastballs and 32 cutters, he mixed in 11 changeups, six sweepers, and three curves for a total of 87 pitches, remaining unshaken even through numerous scoring position crises.

So Hyoung-jun found himself in a one-out, men on first and second base situation in the first inning, but he struck out Park Seung-gyu with a two-seam fastball in three pitches before getting Choi Hyeong-woo to line out to left field. In the third inning, a defensive error put him in a one-out, man on first base situation, but he again struck out Park Seung-gyu with a two-seamer in three pitches. He then showed Lewin Diaz a low changeup before attacking with a high cutter, inducing a fly ball to end the inning.

The final fifth inning was even cleaner. He retired all three batters on just 10 pitches, conserving energy for his scheduled final start. The KT bullpen also protected So Hyoung-jun's win. In the top of the seventh inning, Oh Won-seok faced a bases-loaded, no-out crisis, but Kim Jung-woon, who entered after one out, retired Lee Seong-gyu with a shortstop fly ball and Diaz with a first-pitch right field fly ball, putting out the fire in just five pitches.

The lineup supported So Hyoung-jun by hitting 12 hits. KT took the lead on Jo Dae-hyun's two-run double and extended it with RBI hits from Heo Kyung-min and Bae Jeong-dae. Choi Won-jun hit three times, reaching 204 hits for the season to set a new KBO League single-season record for most hits, while Sam Hilliard drove in the winning run with a bases-loaded home run in the eighth inning. After the game, So Hyoung-jun said, "First of all, I am happy that we were able to close out our final home game of a season where we achieved the result of winning the regular season title with a victory."

He was just one win away from his fourth single-season 10-win milestone. So Hyoung-jun has saved the Daegu Samsung game on the 12th as his final start of the season. Coincidentally, KT manager Lee Kang-cheol (60) also clearly expressed his intention to help players secure their personal records before the game. The manager said, "We will continue to field our best lineup. Today with So Hyoung-jun, and with Go Yeong-pyo as well, there are player records at stake," adding, "Individual titles for the players are on the line. We must do everything we can to secure those titles. We will create every opportunity possible."

The manager's willingness to support was clear. However, So Hyoung-jun himself prioritized the Korea Series over his 10th win. So Hyoung-jun stated, "It is true that I have a desire for 10 wins. But since I started today's game, I think we will need to check my physical condition tomorrow," and added, "If I feel even slightly that it would be a strain, I will cleanly give up on it and focus entirely on preparing for the Korea Series."

The reason why the Korea Series takes priority over personal records is also clear. Last year, KT finished in sixth place, ending their consecutive postseason appearance streak at five seasons. However, after everyone worked hard to improve, they achieved the result of finishing first in the regular season for the first time in five years. So Hyoung-jun personally started the season as a national team member, experienced winning the regular season title, and is now waiting for the biggest stage, the Korea Series.

So Hyoung-jun said, "Last year, I couldn't play baseball in the fall, so I felt very empty. Watching the postseason strengthened my resolve for this season," and continued, "It is a happiness to be able to play many games from national team duty all the way to the postseason. In particular, the Korea Series is truly an opportunity that does not come to just anyone, so I will enjoy every moment and do my best in the remaining games."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original