Instead of Lotte and Noh Jin-hyuk, Kim Min-sung as the starting first baseman! Hyun Do-hoon and Park Jun-woo call-up in the absence of Yoon Sung-bin and Choi Choong-yeon

*This content was translated by AI.

Lotte Giants threw a game-winning move ahead of their first showdown with the LG Twins this season. It recently formed an unconventional lineup in which Kim Min-sung is the starting first baseman instead of Noh Jin-hyuk, who has the best batting sense. On behalf of Yoon Sung-bin and Choi Choong-yeon, who were canceled the previous day (13th), Hyun Do-hoon and Park Joon-woo were called up.

Lotte unveiled its starting lineup ahead of the away game of the first game of the season against the LG Twins of the "2026 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League" at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on the 14th.

On this day, Lotte formed a starting lineup consisting of Hwang Sung-bin (center fielder), Reyes (left fielder), Jeon Joon-woo (designated hitter), Han Dong-hee (third baseman), Kim Min-sung (first baseman), Han Tae-yang (second baseman), Yoon Dong-hee (right fielder), Jeon Min-jae (striker), and Son Sung-bin (catcher). The starting pitcher is Na Kyun-an.

The biggest change is the infielders. Noh Jin-hyuk, who has led the team's batting average of 0.372 (16 hits in 43 times at bat) and OPS (1.195) this season, including hits in the last three consecutive games, will start first on the bench.

Instead, Kim Min-sung will wear the starting first base meat. Considering that the opponent's starter is a left-hander, it is believed that the "flatoon system" based on data was operated. Except for the left-handed hitter, right-handed hitter Kim Min-sung was added. Son Sung-bin, who starts in five consecutive games, will keep the starting catcher position.

He also made a drastic change in the entry. Lotte canceled Yoon Sung-bin and Choi Choong-yeon the previous day (13th). The vacancy will be filled by Hyun Do-hoon and Park Joon-woo, who were holding "armed protests" in the second-tier league.

Hyun Do-hoon showed off his stability by recording 2-1 with a 2.95 ERA in four Futures League games this season, while Park Joon-woo was also called by the first-team coaching staff by showing a perfect pitch of 1 win and 1 hold with 0 ERA in three games. Hyun Do-hoon is the first first team call-up of the season, but Park Joon-woo will return to the first team for the first time in 13 days since the 1st.

Lotte's recent trend is not bad. Since the opening, he has struggled with seven consecutive losses, but he has set the stage for a mid-range leap by winning three consecutive games against Kiwoom starting with his second game victory against KT last week. Although the winning streak was cut off due to the silence of the lineup against Gocheok Kiwoom on the 12th, it is clearly showing a more structured performance than the losing streak.

Na Kyun-an, who starts against LG on the day, is receiving a passing score in terms of pitching content with one loss and a 2.00 ERA without winning the previous two games. Attention is focusing on whether Na Kyun-an, who had a 4.22 ERA in two games against LG in the 2025 season, will be able to report his first win of the season against LG's batting lineup, which is leading the league.

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*This content was translated by AI.