Kiwoom Heroes fireballer ace Ahn Woo-jin (24) will fulfill his military obligation as a social service worker while rehabilitating his elbow.
The Kiwoom Heroes announced on December 28, “Pitcher Ahn Woo-jin will begin his military service as a social service worker on December 18.”
Ahn will first begin his service under the Armed Forces Service Administration’s pre-service system and will later enter a training center to undergo basic military training. He will be released on September 17, 2025.
Ahn was cruising through the 2023 season with the most strikeouts (164) and second-best ERA (2.39) when he was suddenly ruled out of the season on September 2. She visited a hospital to treat right elbow pain caused by fatigue, but during the examination, a suspected ligament injury was found, and a further examination revealed a medial collateral ligament injury.
Ahn underwent surgery on September 21 at the Kellan-Jobe Clinic in Los Angeles, California, USA.
The surgeon who performed Ahn’s surgery was Dr. Neil Elatrache, who is well known in the American sports world. Dr. Ellatrache performed Ryu’s (Toronto) 2015 shoulder labrum repair, 2016 elbow necrosis tissue removal, and last year’s Tommy John surgery.
After being selected by Nexen in the first round of the 2018 KBO Draft, the former Whimungo player has developed into one of the league’s leading aces, winning 15 games last year. He struck out 224 batters in 196 innings last year to earn the monster title, and this year he’s been more consistent, 먹튀검증토토사이트 finishing with a 9-7 record and a 2.39 ERA in 24 games. Despite ending his season prematurely, he still ranked among the top pitchers in ERA, strikeouts (164), batting average (.217), and WHIP (1.06).
The 24-year-old had not fulfilled his military service obligation. He was barred from competing in the Asian Games and the Olympics due to his past involvement in bullying, so commercial enlistment or active duty were realistic options, but the option to use his rehabilitation period as a time to address military issues emerged. Typically, elbow ligament reconstruction requires up to a year of rehabilitation. That’s why there’s some speculation that this surgery could be a call-up for Ahn.
By combining rehabilitation with military service, Ahn has effectively taken two full years off. While the timetable allows him to return in late September 2025, it won’t be until the 2026 season that we’ll see the player we know.
Ahead of his enlistment, Ahn said through his club, “Thank you to the fans for always supporting me. I will return from my military service healthy. I will continue to show the fans the good things they remember after I leave the military.”