Following Song Sung-moon's injury, Kim Ha-sung's surgery table → The "sadness of injury" that flew to the WBC national team over the weekend

*This content was translated by AI.

Ryu Ji-hyun, who aims to promote the World Baseball Classic (WBC) in March, received a series of news like a "lightning bolt" over the weekend. Song Sung-moon (30, San Diego Padres) and Kim Ha-sung (31, Atlanta Braves), key players in the national team's infield, collapsed one after another due to injuries, putting the entry composition on alert. In particular, Kim Ha-sung even underwent surgery that effectively failed to participate in the WBC.

On the morning of the 19th (Korea Standard Time), a truly shocking news was delivered. News of Kim Ha-sung's injury, who is considered the core of the national team's "center line," has been reported. The Atlanta club officially announced on the day, "Kim Ha-sung fell on the icy road during training in Korea and suffered a ruptured tendon in his right middle finger," adding, "He has already completed surgery and is expected to take four to five months to recover."

This was not the only one. Earlier on the 17th, Song Sung-moon's injury, who signed a four-year, $15 million contract with San Diego this off-season and succeeded in entering the Major League, was also reported. Song Sung-moon was also diagnosed with a ruptured flank muscle (endothelial oblique muscle) during batting training in Korea and is currently going to the Ijima Treatment Center in Yokohama, Japan, for intensive treatment. As not only the national team but also Song Sung-moon's joining at the top of the San Diego spring camp is uncertain, the struggles of Ryu Ji-hyun (55), the coach of the WBC national team, are deepening.

The departure of the two players, the core of the infield, is fatal for the national team. The gap between Kim Ha-sung, who boasts a major league-class defense, and Song Sung-moon, who dominated the KBO last season and entered the big league, is more than just a loss of power. In particular, as Kim Ha-sung signed a single-year contract with Atlanta, it was a great opportunity to show his good health at WBC, but it was eventually canceled.

As a result, the national team has the task of reorganizing the infield right away. The role of young infielders such as Kim Do-young (KIA Tigers), Noh Si-hwan (Hanwha Eagles), and Kim Joo-won (NC Dinos) has become more important to fill the absence of Kim Ha-sung and Song Sung-moon. In particular, it is all the more regrettable that Kim Ha-sung was actually a resource that could play the main shortstop in the WBC finals. On the contrary, it is expected to be an opportunity for the players to become the main players in the WBC finals.

The national team will begin its qualifying schedule for Group A at Tokyo Dome from March 5th. It was grouped with Japan, Australia, the Czech Republic, and Taiwan. The Czech Republic, Japan, Taiwan, and Australia will play in that order. Only the top two teams can advance to the quarterfinals in Florida.

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*This content was translated by AI.