The Hanwha Eagles’ starting lineup will soon be complete. Homegrown ace Kim Min-woo has given the green light to return.
Kim Min-woo pitched out of the bullpen at Seosan Stadium (Hanwha’s second team) on the 23rd, throwing a total of 35 pitches and topping out at 140 kilometers per hour.
“We will finalize his future schedule after the coaching staff meeting,” a Hanwha official explained.
Before the game on the 23rd, Hanwha manager Choi Won-ho said, “If it’s okay based on the results of the (bullpen) pitching and the report of the training part, I’ll throw in the next pitching order.”
However, there is no rush. “If either one of them says it’s a little bit bad, we’ll take one more turn and (Lee) Sun-i will come in,” Choi said.
Kim started against the Incheon SSG Landers on April 14, but was hit in the right elbow by a Guillermo Herridia hard hit in the bottom of the fourth inning. As soon as he was hit, Kim immediately realized he was injured and threw his glove and hat away in anger. He was then helped off the mound by a trainer.
Kim was removed from the first team roster the next day. A fracture was suspected, but a medical examination revealed that he had escaped serious injury. However, since it was his throwing side elbow, he had to be cautious about timing his return.스포츠토토
Kim has pitched in eight games and 39⅔ innings this season, posting a 1-3 record with a 5.45 ERA. After going winless in five starts in April, he picked up the pace this month, earning his first win of the season. However, he suffered an unexpected injury in the middle of a good stretch.
Luckily, Kim Min-woo’s absence was filled by Lee Tae-yang. He made his first start against Jamsil LG on April 20, pitching 3⅔ innings of one-hit ball with two strikeouts and no walks.
Meanwhile, Kim Min-woo has been given the green light to return. With Hanwha’s new foreign pitcher Ricardo Sanchez earning his first win in three games, the team is expected to be complete if Kim Min-woo returns.