The best starting pitcher in South Korean baseball last year, Kiwoom Heroes right-hander An Woo-jin, is off to an excellent start in the new season. And the indefatigable 23-year-old has his team’s trainers, not to mention his open-minded manager, to thank for his recent run of success.
In his season debut last Saturday against the Hanwha Eagles, An tossed six shutout innings and struck out 12 batters to set an Opening Day record in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO). It was also An’s career high for a game.
In 2022, An led the KBO with a 2.11 ERA and 224 strikeouts, just one off a league record. He also pitched a career-high 196 innings, more than any other hurlers in the league.
His innings total soared from just 36 in 2020, when he was a reliever, to 107 2/3 in 2021 and then to almost 200 innings last year. Remarkably, An not even once pitched fewer than five innings in any of his 30 starts in 2022.
“I know I threw almost seven innings every time out, and I still didn’t get to 200 innings. That’s an unbelievable milestone,” An told reporters before the Heroes’ home game against the LG Twins at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on Wednesday. “At least I was able to help the team last year, and I am most proud of that.”
Riding An’s dominant pitching, the Heroes marched into the Korean Series as the No. 3 seed in the postseason. Rather than any elbow or shoulder issues, though, An struggled through blisters in the latter stages of the postseason.
An said he developed blisters again during the exhibition season this spring.
“I was worried I wouldn’t be able to throw a lot of innings on Opening Day, but I took good care of my hand,” An said. “Typically, after about three or four innings, I start getting the feeling that I may end up with a blister, but it’s usually not so bad that I can’t pitch,” An said. “In about two or three days after an outing, the blister is gone. And I use a machine that our team trainer gave me to treat my hand.
“From treating my blister to helping me stretch, our trainers have been really helpful,” An continued. “I am always grateful.”
Other than his nagging blister problem, An hasn’t experienced any arm fatigue.
“I sleep well and eat well,” An said of the secret to his durability. “I think that’s really the best way to go.”
Hong Won-ki, the manager,has been flexible with how he uses his best starter. He doesn’t just ride the young pitcher hard. In June last year, for instance, Hong kept An off the active roster for 10 days to give him a breather before the dog days of summer. That allowed An to finish the regular season on a strong note.
“I think he and I have been on the same page,” An said. “Last year, he took me out of games early when he saw an opportunity, and he also had enough trust in me to stay in some games when I felt I could go longer. We work very well together.”
Source: Yonhap News Agency