“I know how to take care of myself.”
It’s been a busy year for KT Wiz’s Ko Young-pyo. He was selected to represent South Korea at the World Baseball Classic (WBC)토토사이트 in March, so he had to get in shape early during the offseason, and he’s been on the mound nonstop since returning to Korea, but he hasn’t shown any signs of fatigue.
This season, Ko has appeared in 22 games and pitched 139⅔ innings with a 10-5 record and a 2.45 ERA. He has 18 quality starts (six innings of three earned runs or less). He has lived up to his nickname, “Go Quiet,” and has been a constant presence on the KT mound.
There’s no sign of a national team hangover. While some players suffer from injuries, Ko is different. Shohei Ohtani, who plays for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in Major League Baseball, is also sidelined with an elbow injury. However, he is still going strong.
Manager Lee Kang-chul with Ko Young-pyo. ⓒKT Wiz
When KT manager Lee Kang-cheol met with reporters after the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League game against the Samsung Lions at KT Wiz Park in Suwon was canceled due to rain, he mentioned “experience” as the key to Ko’s ability to pitch without any international aftereffects.
Lee Kang-cheol said, “Ko Young-pyo is a player who has been playing steadily for three or four years. Rather than talking about whether he was affected by the WBC or not, he did well consistently. He knows how to take care of his body,” he said, revealing the reason for his continued success.
Go Young-pyo. ⓒKT Wiz
True to his word, Ko is one of the best pitchers in the league, having earned double-digit wins for three consecutive years. In 2021, he went 11-6 with a 2.92 ERA in 26 games and 166⅔ innings, and in 2022, he went 13-8 with a 3.26 ERA in 28 games and 182⅓ innings. This year, he has already reached the 10-win plateau and is a pillar of KT’s starting staff.
There are no after-effects of the international tournament for Ko Young-pyo. He was the reason KT was able to leap from last place to second place. Meanwhile, Ko Young-pyo, who was the starting pitcher on the 30th, will prepare for the game against Gochuk Kiwoom on the 1st of next month after the game was canceled due to rain.