The Lotte Giants, which made a significant investment of 5.4 billion won, have created a new legend of saves.
Professional baseball Lotte Giants closer Kim Won-jung took the mound as the closer in the fourth game of the season against the KT Wiz at Suwon KT Wiz Park on Oct. 10, 2025, pitching 1⅓ innings with 1 hit allowed, 1 strikeout, and no earned runs while throwing 16 pitches, sealing the team's 8-5 victory.
Kim Won-jung took the mound with 2 outs and 1 runner on first in the bottom of the 8th inning, leading 8-5, following Jeong Cheol-won. He struck out the first batter, Kim Byeong-jun, to end the inning. In the bottom of the 9th, he allowed a double to the leadoff batter Ahn Hyeon-min, but got Kang Baek-ho to pop out to center field, then induced a ground ball from pinch hitter Kim Geon-hyeong on the first pitch and finally turned out Kwon Dong-jin with another ground ball to the second baseman, finishing the game without allowing any runs.
Kim Won-jung recorded a save 10 days after the game against the Kiwoom Heroes on April 30, reaching the milestone of 10 saves for the season. It marked the moment he became the fifth player in KBO League history to achieve double-digit saves for six consecutive seasons.
Last year, Kim Won-jung achieved 10 saves for five consecutive seasons, positioning himself alongside living legends of the closer position like Oh Seung-hwan (Samsung Lions), Go Woo-seok, and Kim Jae-yoon (Samsung Lions). With this save, he now surpasses them and can set his sights on legendary closers like Jin Pil-jung, who achieved 10 consecutive saves for seven years, Jeong Woo-ram, who did it for eight years, and Koo Dae-sung and Son Seung-rak, who did it for nine years.
After the game, Kim Won-jung said, "It's a proud record. I have prioritized health and fitness lately, and I'm glad to see that reflected on the baseball field. I naturally have pride in the records of Lotte. However, I try not to be overly conscious of that. It's already past, and there is much more to do in the future. I will focus more on what lies ahead."
After spending 10 days on 9 saves, Kim Won-jung commented on breaking the 'nine save barrier': "People around me mentioned it, but I had no thoughts about it. Then why didn’t I say anything when I had 139 saves?" he laughed, adding, "I was well-prepared, and so I believed that eventually, the record would come. I wasn't overly concerned about it."
Thanks to the solid finishing of closer Kim Won-jung, the Lotte Giants are stirring things up, rising from 3rd place at the start of the season. Kim Won-jung noted, "As you can see, the team's atmosphere is gradually changing to one where we can succeed. It's very positive. Because we keep getting results that show we can do it, a more energetic atmosphere is forming."
Kim Won-jung also exemplifies the team-first mentality, guarding the back door come rain or shine. Although he has increasingly taken on multi-inning outings due to the team's bullpen situation, this has not posed a significant problem for him. Kim Won-jung remarked, "If the coach says to go out, I will go out, and if he says to rest, I will rest. I think simply about it."
Now regarded as a veteran on the mound, Kim Won-jung generously offers advice to younger pitchers. He stated, "When I reach my position, I believe there is a part where I can support my younger colleagues as a senior beyond just the coaches' advice. For our younger guys to succeed, the team strengthens. We are studying together while playing the game."
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