'Shock': Hanwha Ace undergoes surgery: "He cried a lot; first time in 20 years as a manager..." Commander also devastated [Gwangju on-site]

Este contenido ha sido traducido por IA.

Kim Kyung-moon (68), manager of the Hanwha Eagles, expressed deep devastation and sorrow upon learning of the surgery news for "native ace" Moon Dong-ju (23).

Hanwha will play an away game against the KIA Tigers at the Gwangju-KIA Champions Field at 2 p.m. on the 5th as part of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular season.

Ahead of this three-game series against KIA, Hanwha has faced a major setback: losing its native ace and the future of Korean baseball, Moon Dong-ju, due to injury.

Moon Dong-ju started against the Samsung Lions on the 2nd but left the mound himself after throwing only 15 pitches over 2/3 of an inning. At the time, with one out and runners on second base, he fielded a fly ball to center field off Samsung's Choi Hyung-woo and then felt pain in his shoulder. A trainer came out to check Moon Dong-ju's condition, but signs indicated that pitching further would be difficult, so he ultimately left the mound on his own.

As expected, the result was very poor. The Hanwha organization explained the day before (on the 4th) regarding Moon Dong-ju: "We conducted diagnoses (examinations) at two hospitals over two days, the 3rd and 4th. As a result, we received a medical opinion that surgery is necessary due to damage to the right shoulder labrum. Additionally, we have requested a review from the renowned Joob Clinic in the United States, considered the top authority in this field. Through this, we plan to formulate future surgery and rehabilitation plans."

The exact type of surgery and rehabilitation period have not yet been determined. For now, the stance of both Moon Dong-ju and the Hanwha organization is to not rush and make the best decision based on Moon Dong-ju's condition.

In an interview with reporters before today's game, manager Kim Kyung-moon said, "In my 20 years as a manager, this sudden, instantaneous occurrence is the first time."

Hanwha has recently been facing many difficulties due to a surge in injured players. In particular, there is a continuous gap in the starting rotation. Before Moon Dong-ju, Will Hernandez was diagnosed with elbow inflammation and dropped out of the starting rotation. Another foreign pitcher, Owen White, also suffered a hamstring injury after appearing in just one game and is currently out of the first-team roster. Additionally, free agent (FA) signing Eom Sang-baek underwent ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction surgery, further creating gaps in the starting rotation.

Jack Cushing, signed as a replacement foreign pitcher for White, is currently pitching as a closer rather than a starter. Consequently, compared to the original opening day starting rotation, the only resources remaining in normal condition are Ryu Hyun-jin and Wang Yencheng.

Manager Kim said, "First of all, (Moon) Dong-ju worked so hard, and now he has to end his season like this. It is very disappointing." He continued, "(Moon) Dong-ju cried a lot. Seeing that, my heart ached greatly," expressing his sorrowful state of mind.

Now, Hanwha must find a replacement starter to fill Moon Dong-ju's spot. Manager Kim said, "We are considering (Jung) Woo-jo for that spot. Until the other pitchers return, I wonder if a few young pitchers should throw," expressing his mixed feelings.

Manager Kim further stated, "Regarding Hernandez's gap, we are considering (Park) Jun-young or Kang Geon-woo, who is pitching today. We are thinking of trying to build the rotation with young players."

Meanwhile, Moon Dong-ju graduated from Gwangju Hwajeong Elementary, Mudung Middle, and Jinjang High School before joining the Hanwha Eagles in the 2022 rookie draft as the first overall pick. His signing bonus was 500 million won. In his rookie season of 2022, he recorded 1 win, 3 losses, and 2 holds in 13 games with an ERA of 5.65. Over 28 2/3 innings, he allowed 28 hits (5 home runs), walked 14 batters, hit 1 batter, recorded 36 strikeouts, and gave up 19 runs (18 earned runs).

In his second professional season, 2023, Moon Dong-ju officially joined the starting rotation and took responsibility for Hanwha's mound. He started 23 games in the 2023 season, recording 8 wins and 8 losses with an ERA of 3.72. Notably, during the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games held mid-season, he started the final match and stood out as a key figure in securing the gold medal. He also left a deep impression with outstanding pitching at the 2023 Asia Professional Baseball Championship (APBC). Ultimately, after the 2023 season ended, he received the Rookie of the Year award, which can be won only once in a player's career.

In the 2024 season, Moon Dong-ju appeared in 21 games as the fourth starter, recording 7 wins and 7 losses with an ERA of 5.17. In the following season, he appeared in 24 games, recording 11 wins and 5 losses with an ERA of 4.02.

Moon Dong-ju suffered many injuries during his high school years due to the high volume of pitches. In his rookie season of 2022, he left the field feeling side pain during bullpen pitching just before the season opener. At the time, he was diagnosed with an internal oblique muscle strain. Later that year in June after his debut, he felt discomfort in his right shoulder and took time off. MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans at the time revealed a partial tear of the subscapularis muscle (one of the shoulder muscles connecting the shoulder blade and upper arm bone) and a hematoma diagnosis.

The Hanwha organization has always treated Moon Dong-ju as a special management case. In the 2023 season, he ended the season early after undergoing inning management. He was also unable to complete the full 2024 season. In May 2024, he was diagnosed with damage to the scapula (shoulder blade) and was removed from the first-team roster. Later, in early September of that year, he left again due to shoulder pain, was ruled out for the season, and missed joining the Premier12 national team. Last year, in May, he was sent to the second team due to damage to the scapula (shoulder blade), and on August 16 against NC, he was diagnosed with a contusion after his elbow was struck during pitching, leading to his removal from the first-team roster.

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Este contenido ha sido traducido por IA.