Professional baseball player Kiwoom Heroes closer Joo Seung-woo (25) continues to excel.

Joo made a relief appearance in the game against the KT Wiz on July 2 at Suwon KT Wiz Park, recording 1⅓ innings with 1 hit and no earned runs for a save.

With Kiwoom leading 5-3 in the bottom of the eighth with two outs and the bases loaded, Joo Seung-woo took the mound in place of Oh Seok-joo and recorded an out against Kim Min-hyeok with a ground ball to second base, escaping the threat. In the ninth, he allowed a single to lead-off hitter Hwang Jae-kyun, putting him in a no-out first-and-second situation. However, he got Kang Baek-ho out on a fly ball to left and Mel Rojas Jr. hit a line drive that was turned into a double play by the first baseman, finishing the game without allowing a run.

Joo Seung-woo, who joined Kiwoom as the first overall pick in the 2022 rookie draft, recorded an earned run average of 10.80 with 4 appearances (3⅓ innings) in his debut season. He did not show much performance in 2023, either. However, last season, he took on the role of closer, recording 4 wins, 6 losses, 5 holds, and 14 saves with an earned run average of 4.35 over 55 games (51⅔ innings), demonstrating his potential as a closer.

Preparing for the season as a full-time closer, Joo Seung-woo is having an outstanding year, with 10 games (9⅔ innings), 2 wins, 6 saves, and an earned run average of 1.86, showcasing an overwhelming performance. There have not been any blown saves, and Kiwoom has won all 10 games in which Joo has appeared.

In an interview on June 26, Joo said, "Compared to last year, it feels like the nervousness I felt on the mound has changed into a kind of awakened tension. Last year, I was nervous to the point that it affected my performance at times. But this year, it seems like the level of tension has changed to be just enough to awaken me."

Joo, who maintained an earned run average of 0.00 until June 18, was among the only closers alongside Hanwha closer Kim Seo-hyun to keep a streak of 0.00. However, on June 22, Joo allowed a home run to Kim Jae-hwan in a game against Doosan (⅔ innings, 1 hit, 1 earned run, save), breaking his streak of 0.00. Coincidentally, Kim Seo-hyun also ended his 0.00 streak shortly after, on June 25, during a game against KT (1 inning, 1 hit, 2 walks, 1 earned run, loss).

Joo Seung-woo, a senior from Seoul High School like Kim Seo-hyun, noted, "It is true that I was disappointed when my earned run average of 0.00 was broken. Still, I thought it would break at some point. I think it was broken earlier than I expected, but I was glad to still get a save that day," and added, "I had been watching Kim Seo-hyun's record. I've reviewed all the highlights. As a junior from Seoul High, I've been cheering for him. To be honest, I didn't want his record to break."

"Kim Seo-hyun is really amazing to be closing for the first time this year," Joo Seung-woo said, admiringly. "He seems much better than I am. I think he's an extraordinary pitcher. Both Kim Seo-hyun and Kim Tae-kyun (Doosan) have really great pitches. Watching the highlights, I think, 'How do they throw like that?' It makes me want to step up my game. I want to do even better."

When asked about the best closer, Joo Seung-woo replied, "I think it is Kim Tae-kyun. His stuff is really impressive. I want to become friends with him. I don't have a relationship with him right now. I think I might meet him if I go to the All-Star Game. I also want to get a step closer to (Kim) Tae-kyun."

Kiwoom is currently at the bottom of the league with a record of 12 wins and 23 losses, hitting a .343 batting average. As a result, there haven't been many opportunities for Joo to record saves. "Since there are fewer games to play, I feel like I have to do better," Joo said, adding, "When I get on the mound, I don't think about that and focus on throwing the ball. This year, I want to achieve around 30 saves."

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