"I regard him as an idol. I will try to win."

Oh Won-seok (24), a left-handed pitcher from the KT Wiz, delivered the best pitching performance of the year. He started the game against the KIA Tigers at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field on the 16th, achieving a no-hit, no-run streak. His stats were 6 innings, 1 hit allowed, 3 walks, 6 strikeouts, and no runs. He led the team to a 3-0 victory, earning his second win of the season.

He struggled slightly in the 1st inning, allowing lead-off batter Park Chan-ho to reach on a walk. He initially thought the first pitch was a strike, but it was called a ball. However, he secured a strikeout against Oh Seon-woo after a full count battle. At the same moment, Park Chan-ho, who attempted to steal, was caught returning and removed from the bases. After that, he did not allow a single hit until the end of the 6th inning.

He took the mound in the 7th inning but allowed a single to the first batter, Choi Hyung-woo. He exited the game immediately after. Relief pitchers Woo Gyu-min, Kim Min-soo, and closer Park Young-hyun completed a perfect outing against the next nine batters, clinching a delightful victory. Out of 85 pitches, 60 were fastballs, showcasing his power. Veteran catcher Jang Sung-woo's leadership was also notable.

In his season debut against Doosan on March 27, he pitched 5 scoreless innings. However, he was pulled during the 5th inning against LG on the 2nd, allowing 5 earned runs. Undeterred, he returned on the 10th against NC, achieving his first quality start with 6 innings and 3 earned runs. On this day, he also pitched without allowing any runs against KIA, successfully completing two consecutive quality starts.

After the game, he said, "I followed the lead of my senior Sung-woo. I felt pretty good. I struggled a bit in the 1st inning, but fortunately, I got through it. I was surprised that the first pitch was not called a strike. It was middle but was called high. I felt like if this didn't work out, it would be disastrous, but I'm glad everything turned out well. I didn’t think much about the no-hitter. I went up thinking the 7th inning would be my last."

He is showing the potential of being an inning-eating starter. When asked about improvements since his transfer, he emphasized that his inconsistency has decreased. "It doesn't seem like there’s a big difference between when I’m good and when I’m not. Seniors and coaches have been advising me on how to pitch well as a starter, and practicing with them has been beneficial. The manager told me to just relax and do what I want. I've learned a lot about mechanics to handle long innings as a starter and throw the ball more comfortably. It has been very helpful. I have become much simpler," he explained.

His next start is a highly anticipated game. He will start against his former team, SSG Landers, on the 22nd in Suwon. This will be their first meeting since his mid-season trade last year with Kim Min. Moreover, it is expected that the opposing pitcher will be living legend Kim Kwang-hyun. Kim Kwang-hyun suffered a loss after allowing 5 runs over 5 innings in that game against Hanwha. For Oh Won-seok, this match is a mix of complex emotions and excitement.

Oh Won-seok said, "He is someone I regard as an idol. If we were on the same team, I might not have met him. Although we pitched together today, I knew I would be meeting him that day. Since we met, I will definitely try to win," he laughed. Of course, it was not a provocation. The experience of pitching against a senior whom he regards as an idol while wearing different uniforms in itself must be a valuable experience and joy.

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