On May 12 at Gocheok Sky Dome, Kim Woo-jin of the SSG Landers recorded 5 innings with 1 earned run against KT Wiz, securing his 5th win of the season, pushing Bae Dong-hyun to a tie for second place in the wins leaderboard. But for Bae, that day was supposed to be special. The 28-year-old, who had become the Kiwoom Heroes’ de facto ace after being acquired from the Hanwha Eagles in the second draft last November, faced his former team’s legend and idol, Ryu Hyun-jin, in a dream matchup on the mound. However, the dream turned into a nightmare.
Bae Dong-hyun struggled after allowing a bases-clearing home run to Noh Si-hwan in the first inning with two outs and the bases loaded at Gocheok Sky Dome on May 12 during the Hanwha vs. Kiwoom game. (Photo: Heo Sang-wook)
Bae appeared distressed after giving up consecutive hits in the fourth inning, leaving runners on second and third with no outs. (Photo: Heo Sang-wook)
Source: Kiwoom Heroes
It all went wrong from the start. In the first inning, Bae hit leadoff batter Hwang Young-mook with a pitch, then allowed a single to Feraza, putting runners on first and third with no outs. After walking Kang Baek-ho, he faced Hanwha’s slugger Noh Si-hwan with the bases loaded and one out. Bae’s first pitch—a 144 km/h fastball—drifted high into the strike zone, and Noh crushed it for a grand slam. The score went from 0-0 to 0-4 in an instant. Bae never recovered, giving up another hit and a sacrifice fly to allow five runs in the first inning alone. He allowed one more in the second and two in the fourth, finishing with 11 hits, 2 walks, 1 hit-by-pitch, 3 strikeouts, and 8 earned runs in just 3 innings. His season ERA ballooned to 4.06, and he took his second loss against four wins.
Bae Dong-hyun heads back to the dugout after his pitching in the third inning at Gocheok Sky Dome on May 12. (Photo: Heo Sang-wook)
Bae threw 40 four-seam fastballs (max 147 km/h), 16 curves (max 121 km/h), 19 sliders (max 140 km/h), and 18 changeups (max 128 km/h). But perhaps because he wanted to perform too well, his usual composure vanished. His command faltered, and his signature slider and changeup were easily cut and fouled by Hanwha batters, as if they had already studied his every move.
The big question now is whether Bae’s terrible outing was simply due to nerves against his former team, or if opposing hitters have begun to figure out his pitches. If it’s the former, it’s a one-off issue that can be fixed. If it’s the latter, the situation is far more serious. Bae was essentially a mystery pitcher until this season—his only previous first-team experience was 20 games and 38 innings in 2021. This year, he burst onto the scene as Kiwoom’s “Cinderella,” starting eight games and posting a 4-2 record. But with every start, scouting reports get more detailed