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"I will support the juniors to lead the team to a leap forward"

Doosan's 132-win pitcher Jang Won-jun (38) is saying goodbye to the professional mound after 20 years.

"Jang Won-jun recently informed the club of his intention to retire from active duty," Doosan said on Aug. 28.

Jang, a left-handed pitcher from Busan High School, was the first pick of the Lotte Giants in the 2004 rookie draft and signed with Doosan as a free agent prior to the 2015 season.

In his first year, Jang went 12-12 with a 4.08 ERA in 30 games, establishing himself as the first "V4" pitcher in 14 years. The following year, in 2016, he went 15-6 with a 3.32 ERA in 27 games as part of the Fantastic Four, leading the team to the title.

In nine years in a Doosan uniform, Jang compiled a 47-42 record, one save and 12 holds with a 4.49 ERA in 188 games. In his professional career, Jang has appeared in 446 games, compiling a 132-119 record, one save, 14 holds, and a 4.28 ERA.

This year, he became the 11th player in KBO history and the oldest left-hander in history to reach 130 wins (37 years, 9 months, 22 days) and the ninth player in history to reach 2,000 innings.

"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 am grateful to 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, when I think of my juniors, I can't stop thinking about them," he said. "There are many talented juniors in our team, so I will support them to train diligently and lead the team to a leap forward."

Jang Won-jun said, "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," he said. "I will never forget the fans' cheers, which gave me tremendous strength. I am so grateful."