Kim Kyung-moon, manager of the Hanwha Eagles in professional baseball, emphasized that Moon Dong-ju (22) must overcome growing pains to become a superstar.
Moon Dong-ju made his starting appearance in the match against the Samsung Lions on the 26th at Daegu Samsung Lions Park, pitching 5⅔ innings with 5 hits (1 home run), 1 walk, 4 strikeouts, and allowing 1 run to secure the victory.
Moon Dong-ju, who joined Hanwha as the first overall pick in the 2022 rookie draft, has recorded a total of 22 wins, 20 losses, and 2 holds in 69 games (319⅓ innings) in the KBO League, with an earned run average of 4.42. In 2023, he emerged as a top prospect, winning the Rookie of the Year award by recording 8 wins, 8 losses, and an earned run average of 3.72 over 23 games (118⅔ innings).
However, Moon Dong-ju has shown signs of stagnation in his growth. Last season, he recorded 7 wins, 7 losses, and an earned run average of 5.17 over 21 games (111⅓ innings), and this year, he has been sidelined due to injury, recording 6 wins, 2 losses, and an earned run average of 3.86 over 12 games (60⅔ innings).
On the 26th of last month, he was placed on the injured list, and on the 5th, he was removed from the first-team roster due to injury but returned on the 15th. Moon Dong-ju faced numerous suspicions and misunderstandings regarding his physical condition. Despite the coaching staff providing care, he was subjected to allegations that he was being overly cautious and not prioritizing the team.
After his recent victory, Moon Dong-ju said, "I waited a long time for this win. I want to show good results quickly so I can sleep a bit comfortably, and today I think I can sleep comfortably." He added, "I am not sure how to say this, but the (return time) took a little longer than I expected. I think there were too many stories and things that happened during that time. I was preparing to go out to play while resting. It would be a lie to say I don't feel pressure. Even though I said I wasn't feeling it, I certainly do now."
Regarding Moon Dong-ju's remarks, Kim Kyung-moon explained in a pre-game interview on the 27th, "All players grow through their struggles. I am the same way. I always smile during interviews, but I have many concerns in my heart," describing Moon Dong-ju's concerns as a process that all players go through.
Kim Kyung-moon, who said, "If (Moon) Dong-ju has dreams and wants to grow bigger, then there must be concerns and pains involved," emphasized that "that is how one can become stronger, and by overcoming that pain, he can move from being a star to a superstar. Fans have high expectations for Dong-ju, and the more talk there is about him, the greater those expectations must be."
Kim Kyung-moon congratulated Moon Dong-ju on his victory, saying, "I was worried about yesterday's game. It was tough after Wyse collapsed on the first day, and the second day's game was really difficult. But with Dong-ju holding it down on the mound, we had a reversal opportunity, and even though it's just one win, it was a precious victory." There is keen interest in whether Moon Dong-ju, who is experiencing difficult growing pains, can shake off his concerns and deliver the performances fans hope for in the remaining season.
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