'Ah! The first time since Kim Kwang-hyun' — Just one inning away from the youngest starting win in Korea Series history: Why did Samsung's 19-year-old rookie feel no regret despite being pulled after 63 pitches?

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

For a 19-year-old rookie pitcher, a matchup against a foreign starting pitcher was not an object of fear. Rather, he wanted to overturn the expectation that he would lose. Jang Chan-hee (19), a high school graduate rookie for the Samsung Lions, proved his bold determination with actual pitching, leading his team to the doorstep of a Korea Series (KS) championship.

Jang Chan-hee started in the fourth game of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO Korea Series (best-of-seven series) against the KT Wiz on the 7th at Daegu Samsung Lions Park, pitching well for four innings with two hits allowed (one home run), two walks, one strikeout, and one earned run. His total pitch count was 63.

Samsung defeated KT 10-5, leveraging Jang Chan-hee's strong performance and the offensive surge of 11 hits. After losing the first game, they went on a three-game winning streak to take a 3-1 series lead, leaving just one win away from their first championship in 12 years since 2014.

After the game, Jang Chan-hee met with reporters and said, "It seems many people expected us to lose yesterday (the 6th) as well. So I really wanted to win. I absolutely wanted to overturn those expectations." He added emphatically, "I am a rookie and twenty years old, but I am also a professional player who plays baseball for money. I don't think there is such a thing as someone being better or worse than another. I definitely wanted to win."

In fact, the starting pitcher matchup was a complete victory for Jang Chan-hee. KT's foreign pitcher Logan Allen (29) collapsed with five hits allowed, four walks and hit-by-pitches (three walks, one hit by pitch), and six runs allowed in one inning, while Jang Chan-hee gave up only one run to the KT lineup over four innings.

Jang Chan-hee, a graduate of Gyeongnam High School, was drafted by Samsung in the third round, 29th overall, of the 2026 KBO Rookie Draft. Last year, he led his team to victory in the final of the Phoenix Cup National High School Baseball Tournament against Masan Yongma High School with a dominant performance of eight and two-thirds innings, one hit allowed, one walk, twelve strikeouts, and no earned runs. He was a highly touted prospect who even won the tournament's Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.

He did not lose his nerve even after joining the pros. This year, he pitched 76 innings in 41 regular season games, recording a 4-5 record with three holds and an ERA of 4.50. He also experienced nine starts. However, in the first game on the 3rd, which was his Korea Series debut, he appeared as a relief pitcher and left some regret with two hits allowed (one home run), one walk, one strikeout, and two runs allowed over two innings.

Nevertheless, Samsung Manager Park Jin-man's (50) trust in him remained firm. Ahead of the fourth game, Manager Park said, "I judged that he was in the best condition among the resources available to start from the bullpen," adding, "He pitched confidently in the first game as well. He is a type who does not feel intimidated no matter when he steps onto the pitcher's mound."

Despite allowing a solo home run to Jang Jin-hyuk in the top of the first inning, Jang Chan-hee did not waver any further. When his lineup scored six runs in the bottom of the first inning, he boldly attacked the strike zone. He retired Kim Sang-soo, Heo Kyung-min, and Han Seung-taek with three consecutive outs in just nine pitches in the top of the second inning, and used only eight pitches to get past Jang Jun-won, Choi Won-jun, and Jang Jin-hyuk in the top of the third. He ended those two innings with 17 pitches.

Jang Chan-hee explained, "I hit the home run because I tried to win the at-bat too easily. But since you scored six runs for me in the bottom of the first, I tried to finish at-bats quickly." He continued, "I thought that if I kept giving out walks, the team's atmosphere would sink and the momentum could shift."

On this day, Jang Chan-hee threw 27 fastballs, 29 forkballs, and 7 cutters. Although his velocity was lower than during the season, he utilized his primary weapon, the forkball, for about 46% of his total pitches to cover his weakness.

In the top of the fourth inning, Jang Chan-hee allowed a walk to Hilliard and a hit to Kim Hyun-soo with one out, but he held on scoreless by getting Kim Sang-soo and Heo Kyung-min out with consecutive fly balls. The regret came next. Having pitched four innings on 63 pitches, Jang Chan-hee handed the pitcher's mound to Miyamori Satoshi immediately at the start of the top of the fifth inning. He was just one inning short of meeting the requirements for a winning pitcher.

There have been eight starting wins by rookie pitchers in Korea Series history. Among these, there have been only four starting wins by high school graduate rookies: Yum Jong-seok (Lotte) in 1992, Kim Soo-kyung (Hyundai) in 1998, Oh Ju-won (Hyundai) in 2004, and Kim Kwang-hyun (SK) in 2007.

Had Jang Chan-hee held on through the fifth inning, it would have been the first high school graduate rookie Korea Series starting win in 19 years since Kim Kwang-hyun, and he could have challenged for the record of the youngest starting win in history. The previous youngest record was set by Kim Soo-kyung at 19 years, 2 months, and 10 days. Jang Chan-hee was 19 years, 1 month, and 2 days old on this day.

However, Jang Chan-hee rejoiced more in the team's victory than in personal records. He stated, "I did have a desire to pitch more. But the joy of having contributed to bringing the team one step closer to the championship and winning is greater than that regret."

His emotions welled up as he came off the mound. Jang Chan-hee reflected, "In high school baseball, when I pitched well and came down, I felt a shiver run through me. But today, thinking that we are just one step away from winning the championship, I also felt a bit emotional." He added emphatically, "Thinking that there is really just one step left now makes me so excited. I hope we can win in Daegu tomorrow for sure."

- Historical KBO Korea Series Rookie Starting Wins - 8 times

1) Kim Jung-soo (Haitai): October 25, 1986, Jamsil vs. Samsung KS Game 5, 5 innings, 2 runs allowed (College graduate/24 years, 3 months, 1 day old)

2) Yoon Hyung-bae (Lotte): October 9, 1992, Daejeon vs. Binggrae KS Game 2, 8 and one-third innings, 2 runs allowed (College graduate/23 years, 5 months, 19 days old)

3) Yum Jong-seok (Lotte): October 12, 1992, Sajik vs. Binggrae KS Game 4, 5 and two-thirds innings, 3 runs allowed (High school graduate/19 years, 6 months, 22 days old)

4) Jin Pil-joong (OB): October 21, 1995, Jamsil vs. Lotte KS Game 6, 9 innings, 1 run allowed (College graduate/23 years, 8 days old)

5) Im Seon-dong (LG): October 20, 1997, Jamsil vs. Haitai KS Game 2, 5 innings, 1 run allowed (College graduate/24 years, 2 months, 16 days old)

6) Kim Soo-kyung (Hyundai): October 30, 1998, Incheon vs. LG KS Game 6, 6 and one-third innings, scoreless (High school graduate/19 years, 2 months, 10 days old)

7) Oh Ju-won (Hyundai): October 27, 2004, Jamsil vs. Samsung KS Game 5, 5 and two-thirds innings, 1 run allowed (High school graduate/19 years, 6 months, 26 days old)

8) Kim Kwang-hyun (SK): October 26, 2007, Jamsil vs. Doosan KS Game 4, 7 and one-third innings, scoreless (High school graduate/19 years, 3 months, 4 days old)

- Historical KBO Korea Series High School Graduate Rookie Starting Wins - 4 times

1) Yum Jong-seok (Lotte): October 12, 1992, Sajik vs. Binggrae KS Game 4, 5 and two-thirds innings, 3 runs allowed (19 years, 6 months, 22 days old)

2) Kim Soo-kyung (Hyundai): October 30, 1998, Incheon vs. LG KS Game 6, 6 and one-third innings, scoreless (19 years, 2 months, 10 days old)

3) Oh Ju-won (Hyundai): October 27, 2004, Jamsil vs. Samsung KS Game 5, 5 and two-thirds innings, 1 run allowed (19 years, 6 months, 26 days old)

4) Kim Kwang-hyun (SK): October 26, 2007, Jamsil vs. Doosan KS Game 4, 7 and one-third innings, scoreless (19 years, 3 months, 4 days old)

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original