Pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin just one game away from 200 combined KBO, MLB wins

Pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin just one game away from 200 combined KBO, MLB wins

Published: 13 May. 2026, 14:22

Hanwha Eagles pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin pitches during a game against the Kiwoom Heroes at Gocheok Sky Dome in western Seoul on May 12. [YONHAP]

Hanwha Eagles pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin is just one win away from becoming the first Korean player to record 200 combined victories across professional baseball in both Korea and the United States.

The Eagles climbed into a tie for sixth place with their first three-game winning streak of the season as they defeated the Kiwoom Heroes 11-5 in Tuesday’s game at Gocheok Sky Dome in western Seoul.

Ryu, the starting pitcher, allowed three runs on five hits while striking out nine over five innings to earn his fourth win of the season. It marked the 121st victory of his KBO League career.

Ryu previously won 78 games in MLB with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays, giving him a combined total for games won of 199 — leaving him just one shy of the unprecedented 200-win milestone.

In Korea, Ryu has spent his entire career with Hanwha, collecting 121 wins along the way.

Tuesday’s victory carried extra meaning for the pitcher.

Now in his third season since returning to the KBO in 2024, he had never won a game at Gocheok Sky Dome until Tuesday. He broke the jinx when he took the mound at the ballpark for the fifth time in his career on Tuesday.

Hanwha Eagles slugger Roh Si-hwan hits a run during a game against the Kiwoom Heroes at Gocheok Sky Dome in western Seoul on May 12. [YONHAP]

“I was able to pitch comfortably as the team scored from the start of the game,” Ryu said after the game. “I can’t say this was a win because of my pitching. The batters scored early, which gave me a comfortable lead. What’s most meaningful is that the team finally has a three-game winning streak.”

Ryu took the mound backed by an early five-run lead. Eagles slugger Roh Si-hwan delivered the decisive blow with a grand slam in the top of the first inning. Roh has now hit three career grand slams — with one coming in a game where Ryu claimed his 100th KBO win, and the most recent one on Tuesday.

“I hope Si-hwan hits [a grand-slam] again in my next start when I go for 200 wins,” Ryu said. “If he does, I’ll buy him as much good food as he wants.”

“199 wins do not count,” Roh responded. “The real milestone is 200 wins. I definitely want to come through for him when he goes for it.”

Roh bagged three hits and five RBIs on Tuesday, while another slugger, Kang Baek-ho, hit his eighth home run of the season with three hits, three RBIs and two walks.

Eagles manager Kim Kyung-moon praised the club’s performance.

“Starting pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin set the tone for us with a strong outing,” Kim said. “The hitters did their jobs by scoring timely, including Roh Si-hwan’s grand slam. Relief pitchers also protected the lead well and finished the game safely.”

Samsung Lions hitter Jeon Byeong-woo reacts after hitting a grand slam in a game against the LG Twins in Seoul on May 12. [SAMSUNG LIONS]

Elsewhere in the KBO, the Samsung Lions defeated the LG Twins 9-1 at Jamsil Baseball Stadium. Lions pitcher Choi Won-tae threw six shutout innings and hitter Jeon Byeong-woo hit a grand slam in the eighth inning. The Lions extended their winning streak to eight games for the first time in 4,342 days and leapfrogged into second place. LG has now lost three consecutive games and has fallen to third place.

The SSG Landers beat the KT Wiz 11-5 in Suwon to snap a losing streak. Landers slugger Choi Jeong, the KBO League’s all-time home run leader, hit his 10th homer of the season in the first inning, becoming the first player in league history to record double-digit home runs in 21 consecutive seasons.

The Wiz now holds just a half-game lead over the Lions atop the standings.

The Doosan Bears defeated the Kia Tigers 5-1 in Gwangju to take sole possession of fifth place. Rising slugger Park Jun-soon of the Bears hit a three-run homer in the sixth inning. It marked his fifth home run of the season.

The NC Dinos defeated the Lotte Giants 8-1 in Busan, ending a three-game skid.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

BY BAE YOUNG-EUN [

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