“Even when everyone said it was too early, I had full confidence.” From spring training onward, the manager showed unwavering trust in SSG’s Kim Gun-woo (24). Some in the field questioned the decision, but he never wavered. Manager Lee Soong-yong (55) said, “I had my own conviction, and now he’s proving it.”
SSG snapped a two-game losing streak with a 5-1 victory over KT in Suwon on the 12th. After a recent slump of 3 wins, 1 draw, and 6 losses in their last 10 games, starter Kim Gun-woo and the bullpen combined for a scoreless relay to secure the win. SSG now sits in fourth place with a 20-1-16 record, just 1.5 games behind third-place LG.
Kim Gun-woo’s presence as the new ace is growing. After Kim Gwang-hyun’s injury, manager Lee quickly designated Kim as the No. 2 starter. “Honestly, even the coaching staff and front office thought it was too early,” Lee recalled. “I even considered him as the No. 1 starter, but the pitching coach said, ‘That might not be the right call.’ I thought, if we’re going to use him, we have to fully support him. Now he’s performing well himself.”
On this day, Kim Gun-woo pitched 5 innings, allowing 6 hits, 2 walks, 3 strikeouts, and 1 earned run on 90 pitches. Though he allowed runners every inning, he calmly induced ground balls, strikeouts, and double plays in key moments. His only blemish was a two-run double by Han Seung-taek in the fourth inning. It was a clear validation of the manager’s faith.
Kim Gun-woo leads the league in wins this season with a 5-0 record and a 3.51 ERA over 8 starts. Behind him are Anders Tolhurst (LG), Ryu Hyun-jin (Hanwha), Caleb Boushley and Oh Won-seok (KT), and Adam Oller (KIA), each with 4 wins. Being the first to reach 5 wins, surpassing formidable starters, is significant.
He also tied his personal single-season win record, previously 5 wins (4 losses) from last year. This is the first time an SSG starter has achieved 5 or more wins in the first 8 games since Kim Gwang-hyun in 2022. He leads the team in innings (40) and strikeouts (31), earning the label “Post-Kim Gwang-hyun.”
In last year’s postseason debut, he struck out six consecutive batters to start the game against Samsung, setting a KBO postseason record. Manager Lee noted, “You can see him growing. Now he’s using not only fastballs but a variety of breaking pitches to get strikes and work ahead in counts.” He added, “As long as he stays healthy, I believe he’ll keep improving.”
The manager’s conviction is now bearing fruit.
