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▲ Kim Seo-hyun, who returned to the first team in the May 7 game in Gwangju against KIA but failed to record a single out and was pulled, shocked fans ⓒHanwha Eagles
[SPOTV News, Gwangju — Kim Tae-woo] Kim Seo-hyun (22, Hanwha), once a cornerstone of the Eagles’ bullpen and still regarded as a promising arm, saw his big-league return end with new questions. Instead of healing, his problems deepened. There’s growing concern his slump could become prolonged, and Hanwha’s anxiety is mounting.
Hanwha added Kim to the first-team roster before the May 7 game at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field. He had been optioned to the second team on April 27 and returned after exactly ten days. Manager Kim Kyung-moon said before the game he’d heard Kim’s strike rate had improved, so the club entered the night with cautious optimism.
Before that appearance, Kim had thrown eight innings across 11 games this season while issuing 16 free passes (walks and hit-by-pitches), a sign of severe command trouble. His late-season struggles last year didn’t reach this level. Rather than getting better, his command deteriorated, prompting a stint in the minors to adjust. He threw in one tune-up against a college team and two Futures League games to rebuild his timing.
Manager Kim planned to use Kim in a low-pressure role rather than as the closer, and May 7 offered that chance. Hanwha had pummeled KIA for 19 hits and led 11–4 heading into the top of the ninth. With a seven-run cushion, KIA had rested several regulars and essentially conceded the game. It looked like an ideal situation for Kim to regain confidence. The timing of his entry was not the problem.
▲ Kim Seo-hyun squandered a comfortable 11-4 lead on May 7 by issuing multiple free passes and left the game with even bigger concerns ⓒHanwha Eagles
But Kim unraveled the inning himself. Facing leadoff hitter Park Jung-woo with the count 2-2, he came inside and hit Park with a pitch. The inning instantly went off the rails. On the next batter, Han Seung-yeon, another 2-2 pitch hit the batter and produced a bases-loaded, no-out situation.
Velocity was fine—he clocked up to 156 km/h—but his command swung wildly. Even with a seven-run lead, he needed to pound the strike zone; he failed to do so. When he did throw strikes, they often barely grazed the zone. It felt less like he was intentionally hitting his spots and more like pitches that happened to drift over the plate. His balance remained inconsistent.
The coaching staff came out to calm him, but Kim still gave up a single to Kim Tae-gun and wound up in a bases-loaded, no-out jam. He then allowed an RBI single to Park Min and issued a straight walk to Park Jae-hyun that produced another run. By Park Jae-hyun’s at-bat, his command had completely collapsed; he was throwing pitches batters couldn’t even swing at.
Hanwha pulled Kim and brought in interim closer Jack Cushing. Suddenly the top of the ninth turned into a save situation despite the 11–4 lead. Cushing battled, then struck out Jeong Hyeon-chang and Aderlin to secure the win. Still, a game that carried a 99.7% win probability entering the bottom of the ninth should not have played out like that. Hanwha left Gwangju with the series win, but the team also carried a lingering unease.
▲ Kim Seo-hyun’s falling strike rate has become an obvious problem ⓒGwak Hye-mi
Kim finished the appearance with 0.0 innings pitched, 2 hits, 1 walk, 2 hit batters and 4 runs (3 earned). His ERA ballooned to 12.38. The stats are bad, but the deeper concern is psychological: Kim appears overwhelmed by the pressure. His fundamental balance is off, and he can’t consistently throw strikes. It’s jarring to see last year’s 33-save pitcher fall apart so suddenly, but Hanwha now faces that difficult reality.
After this outing, the team could conclude Kim isn’t reliable even in comfortable leads; he’s currently only usable in blowouts or low-leverage spots. Owen White, who is rehabbing an injury, is expected to return on May 15. Hanwha will likely part ways with interim closer Jack Cushing then. Since White will slide into the rotation, the club will still need a new closer. Ideally, Kim would rediscover his form within a week and return to closing duties, but his May 7 performance made that outcome seem unlikely.
Demoting him back to the second team is awkward now, and one or two more failed appearances could push him into a season-long slump. A dark cloud has settled over the future of this once-promising young arm who many expected to help lead the next generation of KBO talent.
▲ Kim Seo-hyun, who has emerged as Hanwha’s biggest concern this season, now faces the risk of a prolonged slump ⓒGwak Hye-min
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