Kim Jin-wook of the Lotte Giants, nicknamed “Sajik Skubal”, has transformed into a reliable starter. Six seasons into his professional career, the 24-year-old left-hander is finally living up to the hype. After being selected as the first overall pick in the 2021 KBO rookie draft, he struggled from 2021 to 2025, but 2026 tells a different story.
This season, Kim has appeared in 7 games, covering 42.2 innings with a 2-2 record, a 2.53 ERA, 40 strikeouts, and 14 walks – a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 2.86. The only game where he failed to pitch five innings was his first start of the season (4.2 innings, 3 earned runs). Since then, he has recorded four Quality Starts (QS) and two Quality Starts Plus (QS+), including an 8-inning, 1-run outing and a 6.2-inning scoreless performance.
Kim’s improvement stems from a dedicated off-season. After canceling his planned enlistment in the military’s sports unit (Sangmu), he invested his own money in training facilities in Japan. During spring camp, he worked closely with pitching coordinator Kanemura Satoru and coaches Kim Sang-jin and Lee Jae-yool. They refined his center of gravity and strengthened his lower body, allowing him to use his whole body more efficiently.
The results are clear: his average fastball velocity has jumped from 143.8 km/h last year to 146.4 km/h this year. His command has also sharpened. Kim himself says, “I’ve erased thoughts of walks. I only think about challenging the hitter and what pitch they might be looking for.”
Although he has only two wins due to lack of run support, his performance is ace-like. He leads the Lotte rotation in ERA and ranks third in the entire league. Among domestic pitchers, he is second in innings pitched.
Now, when Kim takes the mound, the expectation is at least six innings – even seven or eight. In his most recent start on May 9 against the KIA Tigers at home, he pitched 7.1 innings, allowing two runs for a QS+. His nickname “Sajik Skubal” comes from his resemblance to Detroit Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal, the two-time reigning AL Cy Young Award winner. Both are lefties with similar deliveries.
Kim laughs: “When I pitch seven innings, they call me Skubal. When I pitch five innings, they call me a scooter. That shows how much people expect from me now. I need to consistently do my job.” He added, “The momentum is good, but I can’t get complacent. Every game is precious. I try to focus more on each pitch. The coaches have really helped me, and I want to improve my technical perfection further.”