SSG Landers’ left-handed ace Kim Kwang-hyun, who was briefly removed from the first team roster due to a “drinking scandal,” bowed 90 degrees to the fans before taking the mound.
The pitching wasn’t good. He didn’t last five innings, giving up four runs.
Kim Kwang-hyun started the 2023 Shinhan Bank Solar KBO League game against the NC Dinos at NC Park in Changwon on Nov. 11 and was rocked for four runs on five hits (one home run) in 4⅓ innings.
Throwing 83 pitches, Kim struck out four and walked two.
It’s been 22 days since Kim took the mound for the first team since last month’s 20th game against the Lotte Giants.
Kwang-hyun, who participated in the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC), recently came under fire for drinking alcohol during the tournament. He was not the only player to be criticized for the same reason, as Jung Chul-won (Doosan Bears) and Lee Yong-chan (NC Dinos) were also criticized.
Kwang-hyun was initially announced as the starting pitcher for the Doosan Bears on May 27-28, but his start date was pushed back after the game was rained out for two consecutive days.
He was then scheduled to start against the Samsung Lions on June 1, but SSG changed the starting pitcher after a drinking controversy arose.
The drinking was initially reported anonymously, and on June 1, Kim Kwang-hyun admitted that he was one of the players who drank and publicly apologized. SSG removed Kwang-hyun from the first-team roster, saying he needed to show restraint.
The Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) held a punishment committee on July 7 to deliberate on Kwang-hyun, Chung Chul-won, and Lee Yong-chan.
All three avoided suspension. Kim Kwang-hyun, who visited a bar twice during the tournament, was punished with 80 hours of community service and a fine of 5 million won. Lee Yong-chan and Chung Chul-won, who visited the bar on the first occasion, were each given 40 hours of community service and a fine of 3 million won.
Kim Kwang-hyun was not suspended and returned to the team after serving 10 days. Jung Chul-won and Lee Yong-chan, who were dropped from the first team roster on March 2, are scheduled to return on March 13.
Before taking the mound in the bottom of the first inning, Kim Kwang-hyun made a 90-degree gesture toward the first base bleachers and home plate, where NC fans are seated, and the third base bleachers, where SSG fans are seated. It was his way of apologizing for the incident.
After ending the first inning with a triple play, Kim Kwang-hyun walked Park Seok-min with one out in the bottom of the second. However, he got Yoon Hyung-joon to ground out to third base and struck out Jae-hwan Lee to end the inning.
After getting out of the third inning with only one hit, Kim Kwang-hyun faltered in the top of the fourth, allowing NC to take a 2-2 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth, Kwang-hyun was hit by a solo home run to left field off Park Gun-woo. Park lined a curveball from Kwang-hyun for a home run.
After giving up back-to-back singles to Jason Martin and Park Seok-min, Kim gave up a sacrifice bunt to Yoon Hyung-joon to put runners on first and second and third.메이저놀이터
Kim Kwang-hyun struck out Ahn Jung-yeol and didn’t allow any more runs, but NC got a run back in the bottom of the fifth.
After walking leadoff hitter Kim Joo-won, Kwang-hyun got Seo Ho-cheol to fly out to right field, but Kim Sung-wook hit a timely double to left-center field.
Kim was replaced by Moon Seung-won with runners on first and second. Seung-won Moon hit a single to Martin at second and third, allowing Kim Sung-wook, who was responsible for Kim Kwang-hyun, to score, increasing Kim Kwang-hyun’s run total to four.