Can Doosan Bears’ Jang Won-jun (38) keep the winning momentum going?
Jang Won-jun will start the home game against the Hanwha Eagles at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on the 6th.
Jang’s last outing against the Samsung Lions on the 23rd of last month was significant. He didn’t have a stellar outing, giving up four runs on seven hits with four strikeouts in five innings, but his bats helped him get his first win of the season.
It was Jang’s first win of the season and his 130th career victory. It was his first win in nearly five years, since 5 May 2018 against the LG Twins in Jamsil.
Winning has been a familiar sight for Jang. Since his professional debut in 2004, he has consistently won double-digit games, starting with 12 in 2008 and continuing through 2017, with the exception of his time in the police baseball team (2012-2013). But after winning just three games in 2018, he didn’t pick up a win from 2019 to 2021. Despite being called “synonymous with consistency,” he lost his starting spot.토토사이트
After last season, Doosan considered parting ways with Jang Won-jun. However, new coach Lee Seung-yup decided to give Jang one last chance.
With Dylan Pyle, Kwak Bin, and others in the starting line-up, Jang was given the chance to start once again. It was his first start in 958 days, and his first five innings in 1798 days. With the win, Jang became the 11th player in KBO history to reach 130 wins.
It was a victory that came a long way. “Psychologically, I was chased a lot,” Jang said, adding, “As I got older, my old pitching form didn’t fit my body, and I was trying to regain that form, and I lost my balance.”
After the twists and turns, Jang Won-jun, who broke the ‘nine number’, was given a chance to start once again. The returning Kwak Bin was ruled out with back pain, while Dillon has been out again since the 15th of last month with an elbow injury.
Doosan suffered their second straight loss in the three-game series against KT Wiz over the weekend. Both Kim Dong-ju and Choi Seung-yong, who were in a five-way battle for the starting job in spring training, failed to perform as they should have, while Choi Won-jun, who has been the “homegrown ace,” was sent down for rebuilding. Doosan will need Jang Won-jun’s ‘steadiness’ once again.