When asked about the secret to his success against his former team, Jang Hyun-sik replied, "I thought about throwing aggressively so that the batters would swing early, and that really helped. I threw with a relaxed mind, and as I always say, now that KIA has become the opposing team, I think it's natural to pitch for LG's victory, and I threw hard."

On the 6th, Jang Hyun-sik made a relief appearance in the second game of the season against the KIA Tigers at the Seoul Jamsil Stadium in the 2025 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League, contributing to the team's 5-1 victory and a three-game winning streak with a scoreless inning, striking out two batters.

With a 5-1 lead, Jang Hyun-sik took the mound as the team's final pitcher in the 9th inning. He faced KIA's powerful batting lineup but, as a free agent acquisition, he delivered a calm performance. After getting Lee Jae-won to fly out to center field, he struck out Choi Hyung-woo on a three-pitch swing and finally got Patrick Wisdom with another swinging strikeout after an eight-pitch battle, finishing the game with a clean inning, throwing just 15 pitches.

Was the experience of having previously played alongside KIA batters also a factor in his successful performance? Jang Hyun-sik drew a line, stating, "There was none," and added, "I pitched aggressively because I trusted the defense behind me, which is incredible."

Last year, Jang Hyun-sik was part of KIA's winning team for the combined championship and opted to exercise his free agent rights during the stove league, choosing to transfer to LG for a total of 5.2 billion won over four years. He was listed as a closer in manager Yeom Kyung-yeop's plans for the new season but faced an unfortunate early return to Korea after sustaining an injury during the first spring camp.

In mid-February, Jang Hyun-sik injured his ankle after slipping while walking on a slippery street. Although local examinations in the U.S. found no issues with the bones, upon returning to Korea, he was diagnosed with a tear in the outer ligaments of his right foot. A four-week recovery period was predicted.

After rehabilitation, Jang Hyun-sik had his first game in the Futures League against the SSG Landers on March 20; he recorded five games with one hold and an earned run average (ERA) of 5.06 before joining the first-team roster on the 4th. Coincidentally, he faced his former team KIA, delivering a perfect game with one inning, one strikeout, and no runs on the 4th and another season debut on the 6th with a scoreless inning and two strikeouts.

Jang Hyun-sik's current physical condition is 100%. He is ready to complete the season. However, he has not been able to wash away the lingering guilt. Even during his injury, Jang Hyun-sik had expressed his gratitude on personal social media to LG fans, saying, "Thank you for your concern. I will cherish my health for LG Twins and do my best."

Jang Hyun-sik stated, "I feel nothing but sorry for not being able to join the team for the opening. This year, I plan to throw hard with a sense of guilt throughout the year," once again conveying his remorse to the LG players and fans.

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