What do you mean Lotte and Reyes' No.1 DH! Samsung's starting lineup revealed → Kim Tae-hyung, "Ko Seung-min can go in first."

*This content was translated by AI.

Lotte Giants took out an unconventional lineup card in the opening game of the 2026 season against the Samsung Lions. Victor Reyes (32), a foreign hitter who should serve as the team's troubleshooter, was deployed as a leadoff.

Lotte unveiled its starting lineup ahead of the 2026 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League away game against Samsung at Samsung Lions Park in Daegu on the 28th.

Lotte lined up in the order of Reyes (designated hitter), Son Ho-young (third baseman), Yoon Dong-hee (right fielder), Jeon Joon-woo (left fielder), Yoo Kang-nam (possession), Noh Jin-hyuk (first baseman), Han Tae-yang (second baseman), Jeon Min-jae (striker), and Jang Doo-sung (middle fielder).

The biggest change is the first hitter as well. Reyes, the core of the central lineup, was named the first designated hitter. Lotte manager Kim Tae-hyung (59), who met with reporters before the game, said, "Actually, the first batter's seat is my biggest concern. Ko Seung-min hit No. 1 and Reyes hit No. 2 was the initial plan before the season. However, in the current composition, Han Tae-yang and Jang Doo-sung are the only hitters to enter the first place, but they are a little slow. First of all, there is no batting order, so I placed Reyes as No. 1."

Infielder Ko Seung-min (26), mentioned here, was severely punished by the KBO (Korea Baseball Organization) after he was found to have visited illegal gambling during the Taiwan spring camp ahead of the opening of the season. The KBO reward and punishment committee imposed a 30-game suspension, a fine of 5 million won, and 80 hours of volunteer work on Ko Seung-min. Kim Dong-hyuk, Kim Se-min, and Na Seung-yeop also received the Janggye, respectively.

In the end, if Reyes creates a chance at No. 1 due to Ko Seung-min's absence, it is interpreted that Son Ho-young and Yoon Dong-hee, who have recently had a good batting sense, supported them and veteran Jeon Jun-woo solved them. In the lower lineup, young infielders such as Han Tae-yang and Jeon Min-jae are expected to revitalize the offense and defense. Jang Doo-sung is also expected to explore the possibility of being the first hitter depending on his condition.

Elvin Rodriguez (28) is the starting pitcher for the Lotte Giants on the day. The key is how much innings Rodriguez leads against Samsung's strong lineup. Samsung is also wary of Rodriguez, who has a good ball point, including ball control. He had a 5.00 ERA with one win and no loss in two exhibition games, but he is praised as a top-notch foreign pitcher. Beasley (30) will be the starting pitcher for the match against Samsung on the 29th.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.