Doosan Bears' right-hander Fireballer has sent a DM to the top-rated closing pitcher of the U.S. Major League Baseball (MLB), drawing keen attention from the public. The hero is Kwon Hwi (25) of the Doosan Bears, who is also accompanying him to the Australian spring camp to prepare for the 2025 season.

After graduating from Daelim Elementary, Gangnam Middle School, and Deoksu High School, Kwon joined Doosan in 2020 as a nurturing player. He pitched in 14 games in the 2020 season, recording 1.27 ERA (13 ⅔ innings) with one loss and one hold. After playing 20 ⅓ innings in the 2021 season and nine ⅓ innings in the 2022 season, Kwon joined the team after being discharged from the military in March last year.

In eight games during the 2024 season, Kwon had 15 hits, seven walks, 11 strikeouts, 11 runs (11 earned runs) and an earned run average (ERA) during nine innings. Notably, he pitched fastballs in the 150-km range, raising expectations. While his overall professional record was one loss and three holds, his earned run average (loss of 31 earned runs) with 41 strikeouts and 31 runs (31 earned runs) that fit 55 hits (two homers) with 32 walks and five bodies during 53 ⅓ innings, he has yet to win his first professional win.

Kwon has recently sent a DM to Clay Holmes (32, New York Mets), a special relief pitcher for the New York Mets, through social networking services, drawing keen attention from the public. Kwon has been using Holmes, who maintains his speed by pitching based on simple arm movements, as his role model. He shot up to 151 kilometers in maximum speed last season, but he also thinks he has more unnecessary movements.메이저놀이터

Kwon did not expect much and sent a DM to Holmes using a translator. But what's going on? Maybe Holmes just responded to Kwon's DM and replied to it in person. Kwon was so surprised that he couldn't sleep well.

Holmes is one of the best pitchers selected as an All-Star in the 2022 and 2024 seasons. Having joined the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2018, Holmes made his Major League debut that year. It was in the 2021 season that Holmes changed. In July 2021, Pittsburgh made a one-on-two trade in which it sent Holmes to the Yankees in exchange for Park Hyo-joon and Diego Castillo, the Korean Major Leaguers who played for the New York Yankees at the time. This trade became a great move for Holmes.

After moving to the Yankees, Holmes showed even better performance with 5 wins, 2 losses and 5 holds and an ERA of 1.61 in 25 games. Holmes' performance continued. In the 2022 season, he recorded 7 wins, 4 losses, 20 saves and an ERA of 2.54, and in the 2023 season, he recorded an outstanding record of 4 wins, 4 losses, 5 holds and 24 saves with an ERA of 2.86.

In the 2024 season, Holmes played in 67 games and recorded three wins, five losses, two holds, 30 saves, and an ERA of 3.14. His overall Major League record is 24 wins, 22 losses, 27 holds, 74 saves, and ERA of 3.71. After the end of the 2024 season, Holmes signed a three-year, 38 million-dollar contract with the New York Mets. He plans to start this season.

Kwon Hwi said, "I knew that Holmes often uploads baseball videos on his SNS. In fact, even if I didn't get a reply, I sent a DM because I had nothing to lose, but I was surprised to see a reply."

What was his reply? Kwon replied kindly, saying, "Ask me anything if you have any questions." Kwon reportedly sent a video of himself pitching along with Holmes' routine (he lifts his glove, takes a breath and starts pitching). Holmes reportedly replied, "I will contact you again after analyzing the video." He also added, "My good friend James Nail (32, KIA Tigers) is in Korea and has a steady interest in the KBO League."

Kwon Hwi is trying to win his first victory in the first team stage of the 2025 season. He is sweating profusely as he is also included in the list of Australian spring camps. In fact, Kwon was included in the first team camp twice during the COVID-19 period, when camps were held in Korea. Kwon, who played for Geelong Korea in the 2018-19 season, said, "I am excited just to go to Australia."

"Until last year, he had no specific goals but only focused on the entry into the first team," Kwon said. "I have set specific goals this year. Whether our team wins or loses, our goal is to eat as many innings as possible."

Kwon said, "Not all players can record saves and holds as a must-winner. If a pitcher who plays in a losing game can endure long innings well, it will be a game where he loses well. Such a role will also be needed in the 144 games. First of all, his current goal is to fulfill that role," showing his commitment to serve the team. How will Kwon perform in the 2025 season? Doosan fans' expectations are rising.