Pitcher Could Break ERA Season Record

Ryu Hyun-jin, ace pitcher of the Hanwha Eagles, could break the Korean baseball league record for lowest earned-run average, a mark which has stood for 12 years.

Only 15 pitchers in the league have posted an ERA of under two runs, including Sun Dong-yeol, Choi Dong-won and Kim Yong-soo. Sun had three seasons with an ERA of under one run and five of under two runs.

Sun holds the league mark with 1.20. Only four others have recorded an ERA of under two runs twice or more in Korean pro baseball.

No pitcher has posted an ERA of under two runs since Chung Myung-won’s 1.86 in 1998 for the Hyundai Unicorns.

Ryu has pitched 140 and a third innings this season, the most among active pitchers in Korea. He has four complete games and two shutouts, and has pitched 20 innings more than his closest competitor, Bong Jung-keun of the LG Twins (118 and two thirds innings).

Ryu’s team Hanwha has the league’s lowest batting average of .252, making his pitching all the more valuable. He is leading the league in wins (12), strikeouts (138) and ERA (1.67) in attempting to claim a second Triple Crown in pitching since 2006.

He said, “I like the ERA the most among the three stats.”

noel@donga.com