Although he delivered a thrilling game-changing hit, he could not roar from second BASS. This was because he felt that showing respect to his former team had to come first before enjoying the joy of a comeback.
'Free agent signing' Shim Woo-jun (Hanwha Eagles) starred as the 9th shortstop in the opener against the KT Wiz in the 2025 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League on the 22nd at Suwon KT Wiz Park, contributing 1 hit, 1 RBI, 1 run, 1 walk, and 1 stolen base to lead his team to a 4-3 comeback victory.
Shim Woo-jun, who was a one-club man for KT, exercised his first free-agent rights after the 2024 season. He signed a contract worth up to 5 billion won (guaranteed 4.2 billion won, option 800 million won) with Hanwha, departing from his original team. This marked the moment of the first transfer for the 10-year veteran who joined as a founding member of KT in 2014. Coincidentally, he found himself facing his former team in the opener, tasked with the role of 9th batter.
Shim Woo-jun troubled his former team from his first at-bat. After getting a straight walk off Emmanuel DeJesus with 2 outs in the top of the 3rd, trailing 0-2, he successfully stole second base and scored off a lucky hit by Kim Tae-yeon.
After taking a breath with a swinging strikeout in the 5th, Shim Woo-jun faced his third at-bat with a chance on second base and 2 outs in the top of the 7th, tied at 2-2. Against his former teammate Kim Min-soo, he hit a 1-RBI double to the right center, becoming the hero of the game-winning hit in the opener.
After the game, Shim Woo-jun said, 'I thought the cutter and slider from (Kim) Min-soo were good, so I aimed to hit towards the right. It felt like a mistake pitch came in after 2 strikes. I think I induced a high pitch, but I didn't miss it. I had this thought in mind before stepping into the batter's box.'
Before stepping up to the plate, Shim Woo-jun bowed with his helmet off toward the familiar KT fans. He first greeted toward first base, showing respect to his former team. Shim Woo-jun remarked, 'Strangely, I felt good. I was really happy that KT fans cheered a lot, and I was grateful.' He added, 'I was worried about the pitch clock when greeting, but it seems (SUNGWOO) had talked to the umpire first. The umpire was right in front. I'm also thankful to SUNGWOO; after all, they're the home team.'
Shim Woo-jun showed respect for KT fans even on the field. After hitting the game-changing hit, he restrained his celebration as much as possible. He stated, 'I wanted to celebrate a bit more, but since it was against my former team, I couldn't do that. I held back for KT fans.'
When asked if he was nervous about facing his former team, Shim Woo-jun replied, 'Not at all. After using this stadium for 10 or 11 years, I felt more comfortable.' He added, 'I showed everything I could today. I think my debut was perfect. Of course, my defense wasn't that clean, but I'll get better as time goes on, so I hope you see it favorably.'
Shim Woo-jun also shared his impressions after hearing the new cheering song created by Hanwha. He said, 'It seems well made. It sounds like a song that fans can easily follow. Also, the voices of Hanwha fans are so loud that it gave me more strength.'
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