Hanwha Eagles pitcher Jung Woo-joo is set to start against the Kiwoom Heroes at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on October 7.
It is his return to the first team after more than a month and his first start in 139 days since May 21.
This game provided an opportunity to gauge what role Hanwha expects Jung Woo-joo to play.
3-Line Summary
1. Jung Woo-joo will start against Kiwoom on the 7th
2. He allowed 1 run over 4 innings in the second team on September 20
3. More important than the result is whether he can show he can hold up as a starter
A Start in 139 Days, an Opportunity Earned After Regrouping
Jung Woo-joo recorded 1 win, 3 losses, 5 holds, and an 8.36 ERA in 44 games and 42 innings during the 2026 season. Compared with the 2.85 ERA he posted over 51 games and 53⅔ innings last year, his struggles were significant. Control problems continued from the start of the season, and shoulder pain compounded them in July, sending him down to the second team.
Even after returning to the first team on August 18, the trend did not easily change. In 8 games and 6⅔ innings after his return, he allowed 17 runs, including 14 earned runs, and his ERA rose as high as 18.90. In September, Jung Woo-joo again increased his pitch count and innings in the second team while preparing to start.
His start against the LG Twins’ second team on September 20 stands out in that process. He threw 66 pitches over 4 innings, recording 3 hits allowed, 1 walk, 7 strikeouts, and 1 run allowed. The regrouping process also formed the backdrop for Hanwha’s decision to change its original plan of having him train in the second team through the end of the season and register him with the first team on October 5.
Can He Throw the Next Pitch After His Fastball?
Jung Woo-joo’s strength is his fastball. He reached a top speed of 155㎞ and allowed 1 run over 4 innings against Kiwoom at Gocheok on May 14. Against Kiwoom this season, he recorded a 3.52 ERA over 5 games and 7⅔ innings. However, it is difficult to say that his struggles over the season have been resolved based only on one game and his results against one particular opponent.
Hanwha manager Kim Kyung-moon mentioned the use of breaking balls and instructions from the pitching coach regarding Jung Woo-joo’s training with the second team. He also said Jung Woo-joo could change if he could throw pitches other than his fastball even in unfavorable counts. This can be understood to mean that pitch selection allowing him to continue competing against hitters, rather than velocity itself, is the key to his transition to the starting role.
The manager said that the “last appearance” would motivate the player. Plans were also reported for Jung Woo-joo to take part in a short-term study program after the season at Next Base Athletics Lab, a sports science training facility in Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. However, a transition to the starting role has not been confirmed. The Kiwoom game on the 7th is one start that will test whether Jung Woo-joo can become a starting candidate for the 2027 season.
A Game for Hanwha and Kiwoom to Assess Young Starters
Kiwoom has also announced Kim Sung-jin as its starter. Kim Sung-jin made his first start in the first team against Lotte on September 30, recording 5 runs allowed over 4 innings. Earlier, in the Futures League, he showed the potential to pitch deep into games, including a complete-game shutout victory over Hanwha on September 13 after transitioning to a starting role.
Hanwha has secured 9th place, while Kiwoom has secured 10th place. Although they are far removed from the postseason race, the reason both teams gave young pitchers starting opportunities is clear. For Jung Woo-joo, the greater significance of this game is whether he can handle starter’s innings based on his fastball; for Hanwha, it is whether he can leave enough grounds to include him in next season’s pitching plans.
References
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