SEOUL — Hanwha Eagles starter Moon Dong-ju, who won the top rookie prize in 2023, has struggled to match that success this year. The 20-year-old right-hander, who went 8-8 with a 3.72 ERA last year, is currently 3-6 with a 6.92 ERA in 13 starts. Despite these challenges, Eagles manager Kim Kyung-moon remains confident in Moon's potential.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Moon was demoted to the minors for the second time this season after allowing seven runs on eight hits in four innings against the Doosan Bears on June 26. "He's still a very young pitcher, and we shouldn't expect him to win every start. That'd put too much pressure on him," Kim told reporters before facing the Kiwoom Heroes at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. "But with his teammates and fans all supporting him, he has to do a better job of putting the team in a position to win, or at least battle. It's something he has to learn moving forward."
Kim explained that he sent Moon to the minors to allow the pitcher to clear his head and regroup before the second half of the season. Moon has since rejoined the Eagles and is scheduled to start Friday's game. "The one thing about this kid is he is very positive," Kim said. "He always has a smile on his face. And I think he's ready to really show what he has tomorrow."
Moon will start at home against the LG Twins. On May 21, Moon held the Twins to just one hit over five scoreless innings for his second victory of 2024. Kim hopes Moon can follow the lead of the Eagles' top starters, including Ryan Weiss and Jaime Barria, who have recently delivered strong performances. Ryu Hyun-jin, a former major league All-Star, is also scheduled to start Thursday's game and has a 2.50 ERA in nine starts since May.
"As manager, I am grateful if my starting pitchers can cover just six innings," Kim said. "It makes life so much easier for the bullpen."