The opponent team’s batter, who had strikeouts, also raised his thumb. The KIA Tigers has become a starting pitcher who can fly up to 153 kilometers per hour, consolidating its dominance as the No. 1 player. Right-hander Kim Do-hyun, who was born in 2000, won the game as substitute starter.
Kim Do-hyun started against Hanwha in Daejeon on the 19th. Left-hander Yoon Young-chul left the match against Gwangju SSG on the 13th after being replaced in two innings due to back pain, and KIA manager Lee Bum-ho did not hesitate to select Kim Do-hyun as an alternative starter.
Kim Do-hyun, who had 28 starts in Hanwha for three years from 2019 to 2021 before being traded to KIA in April 2022, was discharged from the military on Feb. 21 this year after completing his active military service. He formed himself in the second division and joined the first division in May, then acted as a long relief, and planned to start in earnest from next season. However, due to Yoon Young-chul’s sudden departure from injury, the plan was advanced, and since it was his first start of the season, he set a maximum of 70 pitches.
Manager Lee Bum-ho said, “We start with 60 to 70 pitches. I think it will be helpful to prepare for next season to make the number as a starter by increasing the number of pitches little by little to 100 within this season,” adding, “It is important to win today’s game, but it is also important to increase the number of balls because Do-hyun has to rotate the starting rotation for the time being.”
It was the first time in 749 days since the match against SSG in Munhak on July 1, 2022, before joining the military, but Kim Do-hyun seemed to be no stranger. From the first inning, he struck out Kim Tae-yeon with a fastball over the outer borderline, starting with three outs. In the second inning, after being hit by Noh Si-hwan in the middle of the second inning, Chae Eun-sung’s ground ball to shortstop was the only run he gave up.
With no outs and no outs at the first base in the third inning, he threw a low fighting spirit to Lee Do-yoon, leading to a grounder in front of the pitcher. After calmly catching the ball, he threw it to the second base and connected it with a 1-6-3 double play. In the fourth inning, he struck out Jonathan Peraza with a change-up, which swung and missed. Peraza’s bat was thrown in vain on the change-up of the fifth pitch that fell vertically with the ball count 2B-2S. It was a breathtaking ball, as evidenced by the fact that Peraza, who had been struck out, gave a thumbs up to Kim Do-hyun.
Kim Tae-yeon, the next batter, also struck out rookie with a fastball running high on the outside after a game of eight pitches, and Kim Do-hyun, who gained momentum by retiring three outs in the fifth inning, secured a starting win with 68 pitches. He led Kia to a 7-3 victory with two hits, four strikeouts and one run (non- earned run) in five innings, securing its first starting win of the season and its second win (three losses). It was the first starting win in 1,380 days since the match against KIA in Gwangju on Oct. 7, 2020, when Kim was a member of the Hanwha Eagles.
The victory was all the more meaningful because it was against the Hanwha Eagles, the former team. In four games against the Hanwha Eagles this year, including three relief appearances, he won and held one game, continuing his streak of eight ⅔ innings without allowing any earned run. “I kept showing good results against my friends, but I tried to throw the ball the same way (as usual). Rather than thinking of throwing better, I decided to block every inning,” Kim said after the game.
“I would have been nervous if I had been in the second division and said I would have thrown as a starter, but I didn’t because I was still in the first division. I didn’t mean to throw long innings, but I was cheered up by the players’ good defense. I was so happy to throw five innings in a long time.”
On the day, Kim evenly shared five pitching arsenals, including sliders (15), curves (14), change-up (10) and two-seam (5), in addition to the maximum 153 kilometers per hour and average 151 kilometers per hour fastball (24). Since being discharged from the military, he has maintained speed of his pitches, but displayed variety of pitching arsenals and ball control. He struck out An Chi-hong with a big curve ball in the second inning and Peraza with a change-up in the fourth inning, before striking out Kim twice with pin point control.
Kim Do-hyun, who had been evaluated as a “starter’s constitution” since Hanwha’s days, said, “I think the starting side is better than the bullpen, but I wanted to try everything, whether it’s the starting or the bullpen. Now, I’m considering it as a starter as much as the coach gave me a chance to start,” adding, “The coach gave me a good opportunity at a time when the team was struggling with injuries. I’ll do my best to prepare well and be in the starting lineup.”
Kim did not even see Peraza’s thumbs-up. As he was fully immersed in the game, he could not immediately recall what kind of ball he threw to Peraza. “I didn’t see (Peraza’s thumbs-up), but he said he did. I think I need to watch the video again (at the dorm). I really don’t remember what ball he threw. It wasn’t a fastball,” Kim said, smiling about his speed rise. “I want to throw it up to 155 kilometers when I can, but that’s too late. Now I have to pay more attention to controls and things like that. I felt a little weak in the last inning, but I will supplement those areas well,” Kim promised in the next game. 고소득알바
