"Haven't beaten Japan even once in 11 years" — Korean baseball, backed against the wall, swaps three starters and deploys "Sajik's Skubal," Kim Jin-wook... Japan fields the same lineup that defeated Taiwan [2026 APBC]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Korean baseball, which suffered a shocking comeback loss to Australia, is launching a counterattack against Japan by replacing three players in its starting lineup. The heavy responsibility of breaking the 11th-year streak of winless professional-level matches against Japan has fallen to "Sajik's Skubal," Kim Jin-wook (24, Lotte Giants).

The Korean national baseball team, led by Manager Choi Won-ho (53), will face Japan in the second preliminary match of the 2026 Asia Pro Baseball Championship (APBC) at Tokyo Dome in Japan on the 13th at 7 p.m.

On this day, South Korea arranged its batting order as follows: Kim Ju-won (shortstop), Kim Do-young (third baseman), Ahn Hyun-min (right fielder), Han Dong-hee (designated hitter), Kim Hwi-jip (second baseman), Heo In-seo (catcher), Moon Jung-bin (first baseman), Kim Min-seok (left fielder), and Kim Ji-chan (center fielder).

Compared to the match against Australia on the previous day (the 12th), the top of the lineup remained unchanged while changes were made to the bottom. Heo In-seo, Moon Jung-bin, and Kim Ji-chan will start in place of fifth batter Moon Hyun-bin, seventh batter Park Jae-hyun, and eighth batter Jo Hyung-woo. Ahn Hyun-min moved from designated hitter to right fielder, and Han Dong-hee shifted from first baseman to designated hitter. Kim Hwi-jip, who batted sixth the previous day, was moved up to the fifth spot.

Changes were inevitable. South Korea suffered a shocking 7-8 comeback loss in its first match against Australia on the previous day (the 12th). Starter Kim Min-jun (20, SSG Landers) collapsed, allowing four runs in two-thirds of an inning, but the team turned the game around by scoring six runs in bulk, including a two-run home run by Kim Ju-won and a three-RBI double by Kim Hwi-jip in the sixth inning.

However, the bullpen crumbled. In the eighth inning, Park Jeong-min allowed a tying two-run home run, and in the ninth inning, Choi Jun-yong gave up two runs on two extra-base hits, allowing Japan to take the lead again. Of the 10th hits South Korean pitchers allowed to the Australian lineup, a staggering eight were extra-base hits.

In contrast, Japan will field the same lineup that thoroughly defeated Taiwan 5-0. On this day, Japan arranged its batting order as follows: Masaki Tomoya (first baseman), Muneyama Rui (shortstop), Nishikawa Miso (left fielder), Yamaguchi Goki (designated hitter), Watanabe Seiya (third baseman), Watarai Ryuki (right fielder), Hasegawa Shinya (center fielder), Koizumi Daiga (catcher), and Shoji Yudai (second baseman).

To face the strongest lineup, Manager Choi Won-ho also played his best card available at present. Kim Jin-wook is an elite left-handed prospect who has received nationwide attention since his days at Gangneung High School. He joined Lotte as the first overall pick in the second round of the 2021 rookie draft. However, he has failed to deliver results commensurate with expectations, struggling with control issues and inconsistency since his debut.

This year was different. Leveraging fastballs reaching a top speed of 150 km/h and sliders, he secured a spot in the starting rotation. He recorded seven wins, nine losses, an ERA of 4.12, and 123 strikeouts in 26 games over 144 one-third innings, completing the qualifying innings for the first time since his debut. At the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, he led South Korea to a gold medal and the tournament's fifth consecutive title.

His opponent, Takemaru Kazuyuki (24, Yomiuri Giants), is also no pushover. The 179 cm tall left-hander Takemaru graduated from Josai University, went through the Saginomiya Seisakusho in Japanese amateur baseball, and was drafted by Yomiuri as the first pick in the 2025 draft.

He made history from his professional debut. He took the mound as a rookie opening game starter for Yomiuri for the first time in 64 years since 1962, securing a win with one run allowed over six innings against Hanshin. It was the club's first-ever opening game start and win by a rookie. In the regular season, he recorded 11 wins, nine losses, an ERA of 3.27, and 142 strikeouts in 22 games over 126 two-thirds innings.

According to Taiwan's Liberty Times, Takemaru is a pitcher who mixes changeups, sliders, and cutters with fastballs reaching a top speed of 153 km/h. All 14 home runs allowed by Takemaru this season were hit by right-handed batters, so South Korea also placed right-handed power hitters such as Kim Do-young, Ahn Hyun-min, and Han Dong-hee in the top of its lineup.

There is a reason South Korea cannot afford to back down. The last time South Korea won against Japan in a match involving professional players was a 4-3 victory in the semifinals of the 2015 Premier 12. Since then, it has gone winless with one draw and 11 losses in 12 matches. In the APBC as well, it lost in both the preliminaries and finals in 2017 and 2023, resulting in a 0-4 record.

The loss to Australia has also put its advancement to the final in jeopardy. South Korea must defeat Japan and then beat Taiwan on the 14th to increase its chances of reaching the final. Given that the bullpen collapsed the previous day, it is crucial how many long innings Kim Jin-wook can endure.

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

*This content was translated by AI.View Original