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SEOGWIPO, South Korea -- As the Hanwha Eagles' season continues to unravel, manager Kim Kyung-moon says he is deliberately avoiding dwelling on painful one-run losses. The club, which fell to the LG Twins 6-5 on Tuesday night in Seoul, has dropped seven of its last ten games and sits at 8-11 for the season.

"If you keep thinking about close calls, you will never be able to get to sleep over the 144-game season," Kim told reporters before Wednesday's rematch. "I want to put them behind me and forget about them as quickly as possible."

The manager's comments come as the Eagles confront a deepening pitching crisis, highlighted by a record-setting performance of control issues and the loss of a key starter to surgery.

Coverage comparison

Reports from Yonhap News, South Korea's national wire service, have consistently highlighted the Eagles' bullpen failures, with particular focus on reliever Kim Seo-hyeon. One April 15 report chronicled a disastrous outing in which the Eagles set a dubious league record for most combined walks and hit-by-pitches in a single game. A subsequent April 27 report detailed Kim Seo-hyeon's demotion to the minor leagues, followed by a May 8 report on his brief recall and continued struggles.

Separately, Yonhap reported on May 4 that starting pitcher Moon Dong-ju would undergo right shoulder surgery, adding to the club's pitching depth concerns. The wire service's coverage mixes critical assessments of individual performances with neutral reporting on team moves and manager comments, reflecting the Eagles' broader difficulties.

Key claims

  • According to Yonhap, the Hanwha Eagles set a Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) record for the most combined walks and hit-by-pitches allowed in a game on April 14, issuing 16 walks and hitting two batters in a 6-5 loss to the Samsung Lions. The previous record of 17 had stood since 1990.
  • Reliever Kim Seo-hyeon, the team's closer at the time, was responsible for six walks and one hit-by-pitch in just one inning of work during that game, as reported by Yonhap. He was removed from the closer role shortly afterward.
  • Kim Seo-hyeon was sent to the minor leagues on April 27 after compiling a 9.00 ERA over eight innings in nine outings, with 14 walks and two hit-by-pitches, according to Yonhap. He spent the minimum 10 days before being recalled.
  • Following his recall, Kim faced five batters in a game against the Kia Tigers on May 7 without recording an out, allowing three earned runs. His season ERA stood at 12.38 through eight innings, with 11 earned runs and 15 walks, per Yonhap's report.
  • The Eagles have the worst bullpen ERA in the KBO at 6.57, according to Yonhap.
  • Starter Moon Dong-ju, the 2023 Rookie of the Year, has been diagnosed with labrum damage in his right shoulder and will undergo surgery. Yonhap reported that the team plans to seek a second opinion from the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopedic Clinic in Los Angeles before scheduling the operation, and that pitchers having labrum surgery typically miss about a year.

Perspectives

Manager Kim Kyung-moon's viewpoint, as conveyed in Yonhap's reporting, emphasizes resilience and forward focus. After Tuesday's narrow defeat, Kim chose to highlight right fielder Yonathan Perlaza's effort on a near-catch rather than lament the missed opportunity. "Perlaza gave his best effort," he said. "I think it's better if we just focus on trying to win today's game." The manager also expressed hope that the club's hitting, which has been among the KBO's best in runs, hits, and batting average with runners in scoring position, would help balance out the pitching struggles.

Yonhap's own coverage, particularly in its game recaps, strikes a more critical tone, using language like "dubious record" and "slumping" to describe the team's control issues. The wire service has also contextualized Kim Seo-hyeon's fall from All-Star closer -- he recorded 33 saves last season -- to a pitcher who has walked more batters than he has struck out, underscoring the dramatic nature of his decline.

The injury to Moon Dong-ju, who had been expected to anchor the rotation after the departures of other starters, adds another layer of concern. Yonhap noted that the Eagles are already without Owen White (hamstring) and Wilkel Hernandez (elbow), leaving the pitching staff severely depleted. The club has not provided a definitive timeline for Moon's return, pending the second opinion, but the typical recovery period for labrum surgery suggests he could be out for up to a year.

These issues have combined to test the Eagles' resilience. With a 144-game season ahead, Kim's determination to shrug off close losses may prove essential to keeping the club competitive, but the mounting injuries and bullpen instability present significant obstacles.