KT Wiz's trade success story has been excluded from the roster not due to an injury. What’s the story behind it?

Ahead of the 8th matchup of the season against the Lotte Giants in the 2025 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League at Suwon KT Wiz Park on the 11th, KT Wiz removed Oh Won-seok, who took the mound the previous day to secure his 8th win of the season, and registered infielder Yoon Joon-hyuk.

On the 10th, Oh Won-seok started against Lotte in Suwon, throwing 6 innings with 6 hits allowed, 3 walks, 5 strikeouts, and 3 earned runs in a quality start, bringing his season record to 8 wins (3 losses). He is currently tied for second in total wins alongside top-level starters Im Chan-kyu (LG Twins), Park Se-woong (Lotte Giants), and Ryan Weiss (Hanwha Eagles). After finishing his game the previous day, there were no issues with his condition, so why was Oh Won-seok excluded from the roster?

The manager granted Oh Won-seok a rest after 76 consecutive days of being registered with the first team since March 27. On the 11th, manager Lee Kang-cheol, met at the site, explained, "This is an exclusion for the sake of rest. The decision to exclude him today was already made some time ago, and he also appears to need a break."

Oh Won-seok, who moved to KT from the SSG Landers through a one-on-one trade with Kim Min prior to the season, has emerged as a trade gem in his first year. He has put forth solid performances as a fifth starter, with 8 wins and 3 losses in 13 games, posting an earned run average of 2.93 (73⅔ innings, 24 earned runs), giving the air of a top starter. Although he faced persistent control issues during his time at SSG, under the guidance of pitching coach Lee Kang-cheol, his control has improved, as well as his ability to pitch deep into games. Oh Won-seok achieved quality starts in 7 of his 13 games. Following a performance with 4 wins and an earned run average of 1.95 in May, he was even nominated for KBO Monthly MVP.

Manager Lee Kang-cheol remarked, "Oh Won-seok seems to match well with Suwon. When he pitches, our batters perform well regardless of the opposing pitcher, creating a good atmosphere." He laughed and added, "He says he feels more at ease since coming to this team, and that is the biggest factor. His pitching form has also become simpler. Especially in the last game against the Hanwha Eagles in Daejeon, when he recorded 10 strikeouts, he looked really good. It was the best pitching performance he has shown so far."

He then added, "Another factor is the synergy effect with good pitchers. Healthy competition is helping him develop. On teams with good starting rotations, pitchers tend to feel the need to pitch well. It seems that Oh Won-seok has absorbed all of the good qualities from his friend Song Hyung-joon," while smiling contentedly.

With Oh Won-seok's exclusion, a hole has opened up in the starting rotation for KT. Manager Lee Kang-cheol said with a smile, "We are preparing a secret weapon."

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