“If he gets healthy, it’s scary to think how dominant his pitches will be.”
Hanwha Eagles pitcher Moon Dong-ju took the mound against the Samsung Lions in Daegu on May 2 but recorded only two outs before leaving the game. A subsequent medical examination revealed a right shoulder labral tear, requiring surgery — devastating news for Hanwha. Moon is scheduled to depart for the United States this week, and the timeline for his rehabilitation and return remains uncertain.
The announcement sent shockwaves through both fans and the Hanwha roster. In the following game against the KIA Tigers in Gwangju, teammate Noh Si-hwan, who smacked three home runs, celebrated each blast by pointing to the belt he was wearing — a belt that originally belonged to Moon Dong-ju.
Noh explained, “Dong-ju silently left his belt in my locker before the three-game series in Daegu. I’ve been wearing it ever since, and I’ve been hitting well. It makes me sad, but I’m grateful that he sent a message that we’re still playing together. I think that’s why my batting is picking up.”
“He’s my favorite teammate,” Noh added. “We’re always together — we went to the national team together, did volunteer work together, and we’re even neighbors. It’s never easy for a pitcher to decide on shoulder surgery. My heart aches. But he’s bright and tough, so I’m sure he’ll have a successful surgery, rehab well, and return to the field. I’ll play every game thinking we’re running together.”
Kang Baek-ho, who had been wearing Moon’s belt from the start of the season, also showed his support after hitting a home run by tapping the belt with the number “1” on it. Since hearing about Moon’s surgery, Kang has been writing “DJ MOON” on his eye patch, a touching gesture of their special friendship.
Kang revealed, “Dong-ju really liked that. We have a group chat among four of us — Moon Dong-ju, Kang Baek-ho, Noh Si-hwan, and Shim Woo-joon — and he kept sending messages there.” He briefly showed the chat, which was filled with heart emojis of various colors from Moon. Moon also shared a short-form video of Kang wearing the number “1” all over his body, captioning it, “I’m moved.”
Having undergone multiple surgeries and rehabs himself, Kang Baek-ho offered warm advice to Moon, who is likely facing many fears. “Rather than saying ‘overcome it,’ I hope he thinks, ‘It’ll just pass smoothly.’ He’s a bright guy, but if he has someone to lean on, he should. Sharing those feelings helps ease the pain and struggle.”
“That’s why I hope he becomes more self-centered — don’t rush, take it slow. Even when he was injured, he was a scary pitcher. Once he’s fully recovered and healthy, I can only imagine how fearsome his pitches will be,” Kang said. He added sincerely, “When Dong-ju comes back, we’ll be an even better team. Until then, I hope we become a stronger team and win the championship along with Ryu Hyun-jin hyung.”
