Ryu Hyun-jin to Start for Korea Against Taiwan in Crucial WBC Match

TOKYO – South Korea will rely on veteran pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin in a pivotal opening round game against Chinese Taipei at the World Baseball Classic (WBC). The game, scheduled for noon on Sunday at Tokyo Dome, is crucial for South Korea’s chances of advancing to the quarterfinals.

Korea’s WBC Performance So Far

South Korea began the tournament with an 11-4 victory over Czechia on Thursday but suffered an 8-6 loss to Japan on Saturday, leaving them with a 1-1 record in Pool C. With Japan and Australia leading the group with two wins each, a win against Chinese Taipei is essential for Korea to secure a spot in the next round.

Ryu Hyun-jin’s Return to the WBC Stage

This marks Ryu Hyun-jin’s first WBC appearance since 2009. He previously started against Taiwan in a WBC pool game on March 6, 2009, leading Korea to a 9-0 win with three scoreless innings [Source: The Chosun Ilbo]. Ryu, the 2019 ERA champion in Major League Baseball, returned to the Hanwha Eagles in South Korea in 2024 and led the team in innings pitched with 158.1 innings in 28 games.

In 14 career international games, Ryu has a 5-1 record with a 3.14 ERA over 51 2/3 innings. He was a key player in South Korea’s gold medal win at the 2008 Summer Olympics and their run to the championship final at the 2009 WBC [Source: Yonhap News Agency].

Chinese Taipei’s Starting Pitcher

Chinese Taipei will counter with right-hander Gu Lin Ruei-Yang. The 25-year-traditional pitcher currently plays for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He has a 2-2 record with a 3.62 ERA in seven games, with 34 strikeouts in 32 1/3 innings [Source: Yonhap News Agency].

Chinese Taipei’s Recent Performance

Chinese Taipei defeated Czechia 14-0 on Saturday after losing their first two games against Australia and Japan by a combined score of 16-0 [Source: The Korea Times].

All baseball fans’ attention is focused on the outcome of this crucial match between veteran left-handed ace Ryu Hyun-jin and energetic right-handed fireballer Gu Linruiyang.