Hanwha Eagles manager Kim Kyung-moon explained the reason for choosing KODI Ponce (31) as the opening day starting pitcher instead of Ryu Hyun-jin (38).

Kim announced Ponce as the opening day starting pitcher during the '2025 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO Media Day & Fan Fest' held at Lotte Hotel World in Seoul on the 20th.

Ponce is a right-handed pitcher who recorded 1 win and 7 losses with a 5.86 earned run average in 20 major league games (55⅓ innings) while playing in Pittsburgh in 2020 and 2021. He also gained experience in Asian baseball in Nippon Professional Baseball. From 2022 to 2023, he played for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters and wore the uniform of the Rakuten Golden Eagles last year, recording 10 wins and 16 losses with a 4.54 earned run average over 39 games (202 innings) in 3 seasons.

Ponce throws a fastball exceeding 150 km/h and uses a variety of breaking balls, increasing expectations for his performance in the KBO League. He also achieved outstanding results in the exhibition games, with 2 wins and a 0.00 earned run average over 2 games (9 innings). Hanwha is scheduled to play the season opener against the KT Wiz at Suwon KT Wiz Park on the 22nd. Ponce will face off against Emanuel De Jesus (KT) as the starting pitchers.

As Ponce takes the mound as the opening day starting pitcher, Ryu Hyun-jin, who played in Major League Baseball from 2013 to 2023 and returned to Korea last year, will naturally be unable to pitch in the first regular season game at Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark on the 28th. According to the schedule, the opening day starting pitcher will also take the mound in the home opener.

Ryu Hyun-jin, who has a career record of 108 wins and 60 losses with a 2.92 earned run average over 218 KBO League games (1427⅓ innings) and 78 wins and 48 losses with a 3.27 earned run average over 186 major league games (1055⅓ innings), is the franchise ace representing Hanwha. It holds special meaning for Ryu Hyun-jin to start as the opening pitcher in the historic first game of the new stadium. During the training camp in Okinawa, Japan, Ryu said, “It seems like all the starting pitchers are preparing to be ready for the opening day. Everyone wants to pitch. Of course, I am also preparing hard,” expressing his desire to pitch in the home opener.

However, manager Kim Kyung-moon appointed Ponce as the opening day starting pitcher instead of Ryu Hyun-jin. Kim stated, “Looking at Ryu Hyun-jin's condition, he can definitely pitch as a starting pitcher,” but explained, “The reason Ryu Hyun-jin is not the opening day starting pitcher is that he is not young anymore. He shouldn't pitch too much. We decided to save Ryu Hyun-jin for the third game.”

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