"It’s scary when you come up...".
Kia Tigers right-hander Kim Do-hyun (25) is following the path of a homegrown ace. On the 17th at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field, he showcased an impressive pitching performance against the KT Wiz in the 2025 Korea Professional Baseball season. He recorded 6 innings, 4 hits, 4 walks, 1 hit-by-pitch, 4 strikeouts, and allowed 2 runs (1 earned run). Although he faced a crisis with some inconsistency in his control, he demonstrated his ability to overcome challenges.
With a 4-0 lead in the top of the second inning, he allowed a fielding error by the infielder and 2 hits but limited it to just 1 run. With no outs and runners on second and third, he gave up a timely hit but received support from Kim Ho-ryeong's rocket home throw. Even in the fourth inning, facing a no-out bases loaded situation brought by hits and a hit-by-pitch, he limited it to just 1 run with an infield ground ball instead of allowing a timely hit. He pitched the remaining innings scoreless.
Kim Do-hyun said, "We could have lost today, but I was grateful that my fielders helped a lot. Since the opponent was Heisus, I tried to clear my mind. I focused only on my tasks without thinking about our batting lineup. I was disappointed about the early crisis and runs, but the batting lineup helped me, and my seniors Chang-jin and Ho-ryeong supported me in defense," expressing his gratitude to the fielders.
He achieved his seventh quality start of the season. His QS ratio is 50%. He has pitched 80⅓ innings and did not pitch 5 innings only once, which was 4⅔ innings against the Samsung Lions on May 24. He averages 5⅔ innings per game. This is the third most innings after James Nail and Adam Oller. His earned run average is also 3.02. He has been steadily contributing to the rotation since the opening. He has easily managed pitching twice a week. At this rate, he will reach 28 games and 160 innings. There is also potential for 30 games and 170 innings.
He is changing and developing himself. "I have set a goal to not come off the mound early. I am focusing on minimizing walks and runs along with pitching length rather than winning. My mental state can break down on the mound, but I also manage to hold it together. If I give up runs, I try to forget it quickly and only think about how to compete against the batters," he explained.
Whenever Kim Do-hyun takes the mound, a familiar scene unfolds. Manager Lee Beom-ho comes directly to the mound during crises. He offers encouragement and advice to sharpen focus. Each time, it has led to good results. On this day, he also visited the mound during a crisis in the second inning. "The manager said, 'The fielders are helping too, so just relax and throw your good pitches.' I am thankful. It’s scary when he comes up, but it helps me focus, and I feel at ease. Looking back, I think the manager truly cares for me," he expressed his gratitude.
So far, he is on the right path as a full-time starting pitcher. If this trend continues, he is expected to handle 30 games without issue. Now, the sweltering summer is approaching. This is a challenging time for pitchers. Fatigue is building up, and a period of needed rest is approaching. "Honestly, it feels like it’s getting a bit tough now. Today was quite exhausting, but I was lucky. If my pace is good, I will make it to 30 games, but if not, I might miss a few," he stated.
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