Hanwha Eagles Offense Ignites in KBO Preseason Win Over KIA Tigers

Baseball fever is already heating up in South Korea, and nowhere was that more evident than at Daejeon’s Hanwha Life Eagles Park on March 20, where the Hanwha Eagles delivered a thunderous 13-8 victory over the KIA Tigers in a 2026 KBO preseason showdown. With this win, Hanwha notched its second consecutive victory, sending a clear signal that the team’s newly fortified offense could be a force to reckon with this year.

Hanwha’s bats came alive in spectacular fashion, racking up a staggering 18 hits against the KIA pitching staff. The star of the day? None other than foreign slugger Yonathan Ferraza, who went 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs, spearheading the Eagles’ relentless attack. Veteran Chae Eun-seong chipped in with a perfect 3-for-3 performance, adding an RBI and scoring twice, while rookie Oh Jae-won impressed with two hits, an RBI, and three runs scored of his own.

It wasn’t all smooth sailing for the Eagles, though. Starting pitcher Moon Dong-ju, touted as one of Hanwha’s young arms with serious upside, struggled on the mound. He lasted just two innings, surrendering four hits and two runs before making an early exit. Moon’s velocity was reportedly down, failing to reach his usual 150 km/h, which raised some eyebrows among fans and analysts alike. Still, the Hanwha offense more than made up for the pitching hiccup, erasing any doubts with their explosive output.

The game’s opening innings saw Hanwha trailing 0-2, but the tide quickly turned in the bottom of the second. Chae Eun-seong and Ha Joo-seok delivered timely hits, and Sim Woo-jun’s sacrifice fly tied the contest. Then, Oh Jae-won and Ferraza each drove in a run, and a wild pitch from KIA starter Kim Tae-hyung allowed Oh to dash home, capping a six-run rally that put Hanwha firmly in control at 6-2.

Hanwha kept pouring it on in the third and fourth innings. Catcher Choi Jae-hoon’s RBI single and Ferraza’s two-run blast in the fourth stretched the Eagles’ lead to 8-2. The Tigers tried to claw back, with Oh Sun-woo collecting three hits and two runs, and Park Jae-hyun adding a pinch-hit RBI single for three runs batted in. However, KIA’s pitching woes proved insurmountable. Kim Tae-hyung, making the start for KIA, was roughed up for six runs on six hits and two walks in just two innings—hardly the outing the Tigers were hoping for.

As the game wore on, Hanwha’s bullpen had its own share of drama. In the eighth, reliever Kang Gun-woo was tagged for six runs, allowing KIA to narrow the gap to just one run. But Hanwha’s bats responded instantly in the bottom of the inning. With runners on first and third and no outs, Choi In-ho ripped an RBI double, followed by a sacrifice fly from Lee Do-yoon. A groundout by Lee Jin-young brought another run home, and then, with two outs, Hwang Young-mook delivered the knockout blow—a triple that pushed the score to 13-8 and sealed the Eagles’ second straight preseason win over the Tigers.

“With (No) Si-hwan and (Moon) Hyun-bin back, looking at the lineup... if Oh Jae-won also performs, Hanwha could win it all,” shortstop Sim Woo-jun boldly stated, according to MyDaily. He added, “When you look at the lineup, there’s no place for opposing pitchers to rest. If everyone does their part, we can be a strong offensive team and even aim for the championship.”

Hanwha’s roster overhaul this offseason has been the talk of the league. After feeling the sting of an offense that was just a bit short last year, the Eagles went big, signing slugger Kang Baek-ho to a four-year, 10 billion won free-agent deal. They also brought back Ferraza, whose power bat had been upgraded in Triple-A, and re-signed key backup Son Ah-seop. The result? A lineup that, on paper, stacks up well against perennial powerhouses like the LG Twins and Samsung Lions.

But what about the pitching? There are still question marks, especially with key relievers Han Seung-hyuk and Kim Bum-soo leaving via free agency. Hanwha’s pitching staff is now relying on the emergence of young arms, a fact not lost on manager Kim Kyung-moon. “The decision came quickly,” Kim said, expressing confidence in his new-look bullpen and highlighting several promising new faces.

Sim Woo-jun echoed that optimism: “The young pitchers are better than people think. Even though they lack experience, they’re throwing confidently and not like rookies at all.” He also praised the team’s improved defense, noting, “Now that the nine positions are set, it’s really important. It allows the pitchers to throw comfortably and the fielders to work together more smoothly. Oh Jae-won is also very solid defensively.”

Hanwha’s preseason starting lineup against KIA featured Oh Jae-won in center, Ferraza in right, Moon Hyun-bin in left, No Si-hwan at third, Kang Baek-ho as the designated hitter, Chae Eun-seong at first, Ha Joo-seok at second, Choi Jae-hoon behind the plate, and Sim Woo-jun at shortstop. With No Si-hwan and Moon Hyun-bin returning from WBC duty, the lineup suddenly looks a lot more intimidating. Many observers believe this could be the group that takes the field on Opening Day against the Kiwoom Heroes on March 28.

Elsewhere in the KBO preseason, the action continued at Busan’s Sajik Baseball Stadium on March 21, where the Lotte Giants hosted the Hanwha Eagles. The preseason, which began on March 12 and runs through March 24, sees each team playing 12 games for a total of 60 contests. Hanwha coach Kang In-kwon was seen working closely with the players during pregame drills, emphasizing fundamentals as the regular season approaches. And there was a special moment on the field as Lotte pitchers Kim Won-joong and Choi Jun-yong were spotted chatting with Hanwha’s legendary ace, Ryu Hyun-jin—a scene that got fans buzzing about the blend of old and new talent in the league.

Hanwha’s preseason surge, powered by a deep, dynamic batting order and a renewed sense of belief, is giving fans plenty of reasons to dream big. There are still questions to answer, especially on the mound, but if the offense keeps firing and the young pitchers keep growing, the Eagles might just be ready to soar higher than they have in years.

With the KBO preseason still underway and every team jostling for momentum, all eyes remain on Hanwha to see if this early success is a sign of things to come when the regular season begins.