‘132 Wins 2000 Innings’ Doosan’s Jang Won-jun retires from active duty “I’m happy to have achieved my personal goals”
Doosan Bears pitcher Jang Won-jun.
Doosan Bears left-handed pitcher Jang Won-jun (38), who has 132 career wins and 2,000 innings, has retired from active duty.
“Jang Won-jun recently expressed his intention to retire from active duty to the club,” Doosan announced on Oct. 28.
Jang, who was drafted by the Lotte Giants in 2004, was one of the most dominant left-handed pitchers in the KBO.
He was so consistent that he was nicknamed “Jang Koo-jun,” and over the course of his 20-year career, he appeared in 446 games, compiling a 132-119 record, 1,385 strikeouts, and a 4.28 ERA.
He recorded double-digit wins in eight consecutive seasons, excluding his military service from 2008 to 2017, and in his final appearance on April 17 against the SSG Landers, he pitched 4⅓ innings to become the ninth pitcher in history to reach 2,000 career innings.
Jang signed a four-year, $8.4 billion free agent contract with Doosan prior to the 2015 season and arrived at Jamsil Stadium as part of the “Fantastic Four,” helping Doosan win the Korean Series in 2015 and 2016.
“It was never easy for me to make the choice to leave the Jungden Grounds. However, I made this decision because I thought it was time to stop playing baseball,” said Jang. “I would like to thank owner Park Jung-won for allowing me to start my second baseball life as a free agent and giving me more opportunities when I was struggling with injuries.”
He continued, “I’m glad that I was able to fulfill the last goals I set for myself. However, I can’t stop thinking about my juniors. There are many talented juniors in our team, so I will support them to train diligently and lead the team to leap forward.”
Finally, he thanked the coaching staff and Doosan fans. “I remember the faces of coach Lee Seung-yup, the coaching staff, and my teammates. It was all thanks to ‘Team Bears’ that I was able to leave with applause at the end.” “I will never forget the fans’ cheers, which gave me tremendous strength when I was lacking. Thank you so much.” 스포츠토토맨
