Today, I think I can sleep comfortably.
Moon Dong-ju (22), known as the 'Daejeon Prince' of the Hanwha Eagles, became the winning pitcher after 37 days. On the 26th, in a game against Samsung in Daegu, Moon pitched 5⅔ innings, allowing 5 hits (1 home run), 1 walk, and striking out 4 while giving up 1 run, leading Hanwha to a 3-1 victory. With his 6th win of the season (2 losses), Moon also lowered his earned run average from 4.09 to 3.86.
In the early stages of the game, his control was shaky, facing threats with 1 out and runners on first and second in the first inning and 2 outs with runners on first and second in the second inning, but avoided giving up any runs. In the fourth inning, he allowed a solo home run to Kang Min-ho, giving up the first run, but he stably held off additional runs until 2 outs in the sixth inning. He threw 43 fastballs with a top speed of 158 km/h and an average of 152 km/h, using forkballs (19), curves (14), and sliders (12) evenly.
After the game, Moon Dong-ju noted, "It was a situation where I had to push through because I was throwing too many balls in the early stages. I was out of focus, but senior Choi Jae-hun came up to the mound and said, 'What's wrong? Your balls are good,' and I responded that I would focus and throw well. The outcome was good, but it wasn't easy. However, thanks to my senior's support in pulling and guiding me, there was a good result." He expressed gratitude to catcher Choi Jae-hun.
It was a victory he achieved after 37 days and 3 games since the game against NC in Ulsan on the 20th of last month. During that time, Moon Dong-ju spent sleepless nights. After his worst outing of the season on the 25th against Lotte in Daejeon, where he pitched 4⅔ innings and gave up 6 runs, he was removed from the first team roster for rest. Initially, it seemed he would return in ten days, but it took him three weeks to come back for the game against LG on the 15th. In the LG game, he was also taken out early after pitching 3⅔ innings and giving up 4 runs.
His return was delayed beyond expectations, and his pitching performance before and after the rest was not good, leading to various speculations and misunderstandings surrounding Moon Dong-ju. He had ended last season a month early due to shoulder pain, and after entering rehabilitation until the spring camp this year, the coaching staff managed him cautiously. However, a minority of fans viewed him as someone who was cautious about getting injured, labeling him as a selfish player only concerned about himself rather than the team.
Moon Dong-ju was aware of this scrutiny. He said, "I waited a long time for this victory. I wanted to show good results quickly so I could sleep a bit comfortably. Today, I think I can sleep comfortably." He added, "I don't know how to express it, but the recovery time took longer than I expected. It seems that there were too many stories and events during that time. I was preparing to play while resting well."
Considering the team is competing for first place, it's understandable that some fans are anxious about the prolonged absence of key pitcher Moon Dong-ju. However, as some criticisms that crossed the line with false information continued, Moon Dong-ju also faced mental struggles to the point where he couldn't sleep properly at night.
At just 22 years old, he has been highly anticipated since his debut and now, as a fourth-year professional, he feels the significant weight of his role as a core starting pitcher. Moon Dong-ju admitted, "It would be a lie to say I don't feel pressure. Even when I said I wasn't feeling it, there is definitely pressure now," acknowledging that it's a part of his growth.
Given that the team is competing for first place, it’s natural for that pressure to feel even greater. However, Moon Dong-ju expressed, "It's very enjoyable when the team is competing for first place. Back when Carlos Subero was the manager, we played with a completely different atmosphere and different goals. We are now achieving the goals that everyone has been working towards since then. Even with a goal, baseball and life can lead to failure, but we are accurately heading towards that goal," emphasizing that the entire team is united in their objectives since the rebuilding process.
He continued, "Not just me, but all the players, the coaching staff, and the front office all have a unified goal and are working hard. I am lucky that the timing is aligning well, and I must perform well within that timing."
Currently, with 6 wins (2 losses) after passing the halfway point of the season, Moon Dong-ju is contributing significantly to Hanwha's pursuit of first place, recording an earned run average of 3.86 and striking out 65 batters over 60⅔ innings. After winning the Rookie of the Year award in 2023, he aims to surpass his personal best of 8 wins and achieve his first 10 wins. Moon Dong-ju remarked, "I believe I cannot fail to get 10 wins. I must earn 10 wins. If the team is delivering such good results, and I perform well, I can aim for even more than 10 wins. I have a great deal of ambition this year."
Regarding his continued dominance with a record of 5 wins and 1 hold in 7 games (6 starts, 35⅔ innings) against Samsung with an earned run average of 1.26, Moon Dong-ju stated, "I have a clear distinction between strong teams and weak teams. When I face a poor team, I feel an urge to overcome them. That aspect will make me stronger," expressing his determination to seek revenge against weaker teams like Lotte and Doosan.
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