Veteran closer Oh Seung-hwan records 500th career save

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Veteran closer Oh Seung-hwan records 500th career save

Published: 07 Jun. 2023, 16:34 Updated: 07 Jun. 2023, 17:48

Oh Seung-hwan of the Samsung Lions pitches against the NC Dinos at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in Daegu on Tuesday. [NEWS1]

Oh Seung-hwan of the Samsung Lions recorded his 500th career save on Tuesday, pitching a scoreless ninth inning against the NC Dinos to further cement his legacy as the greatest stopper Korean baseball has ever seen.

Oh’s 500th career save came at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in Daegu, the city that he has called home for the vast majority of his career, to lock in a 9-6 victory over the Dinos.

Oh gave up a single to Son Ah-seop to lead off the ninth on Tuesday, forcing Jason Martin to ground out for his first out after Son stole second.

Despite the runner in scoring position, Oh made short work of the next two batters, forcing a lineout and then finishing the inning in style with a strikeout to secure the win and his 500th career save. His 499th came the previous Saturday.

That save was Oh’s 378th in the KBO, further extending a league record that he has already held for years. Oh is the KBO’s all-time saves leader by a significant margin, with Son Seung-lak, formerly of the Hyundai Unicorns, Nexen Heroes and Lotte Giants, in a distant second place on 271.

Oh has played his entire KBO career with the Lions, debuting with the club in 2005 and playing in Daegu until heading overseas in 2013. He returned to Korea six years later and rejoined the Lions in 2020, remaining there for the last four seasons.

Oh is known as the stone buddha because of his unflappable approach at the plate.

When he passed 300 KBO saves in 2021, the Lions celebrated by erecting a huge plywood stone figure in the outfield with Oh’s face. As it happened, Oh hit the 300 milestone while on the road but the plywood Oh stayed standing proud at 12-feet tall in the outfield for the month of April.

So far this time, the Lions have opted to celebrate with a cake.

Oh Seung-hwan receives a cake with the number 500 on it after recording his 500th career save at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in Daegu on Tuesday. [YONHAP]

Outside of the KBO, Oh also has 80 Nippon Professional Baseball saves to his name, having played for the Hanshin Tigers in 2014 and 2015, and 42 Major League Baseball saves, following spells with the St. Louis Cardinals, Toronto Blue Jays and Colorado Rockies.

"I am glad I got to do this in one try,” Oh was quoted as saying after the game by Yonhap. “But since this was not the final game of the season, I don't have any special feelings. You can't collect saves alone. I want to thank my teammates for congratulating me on this."

The 500-save milestone comes after an uncharacteristically shaky start to the season for Oh.

"I didn't pitch well earlier in the season and things didn't go the way I wanted them to,” Oh said. “So I got to the 500th save much later than I'd hoped. I even made a start along the way, but now I am back being the closer. I'd like to think I am helping the bullpen at least a little bit here."

Despite some concerns that he might be heading toward retirement, 40-year-old Oh remains confident he can reach 400 KBO saves.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]