'If it gets canceled now, it will be tough in April' — Will Jung Hoon's retirement ceremony be postponed? The Sajik Stadium, covered by a tarp, sees even the raindrops growing heavier. [Busan Field Report]

*This content was translated by AI.

Will Lotte Giants franchise star Jung Hoon (39) be able to hold his retirement ceremony as planned? Raindrops are growing heavier at Sajik Stadium, which is covered by a tarp.

Lotte will face the Hanwha Eagles in a 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular-season home game at Busan Sajik Stadium on the 17th. This is a matchup between the two teams tied for 7th place in the league. After losing two consecutive games to the LG Twins, Lotte returned home with a record of 6 wins and 10 losses, matching Hanwha, which has fallen into a six-game losing streak.

With both teams needing a turnaround, Lotte is saying goodbye to its franchise star Jung Hoon today. However, rain began falling in the Busan area from the afternoon onward, making it unclear whether the retirement ceremony or even the game itself will proceed. The Lotte organization had laid out a large tarp in advance as a precaution, but with light rain forecast until early morning, predictions have become difficult.

According to a Lotte organization official, if the retirement ceremony is canceled today, it can only be rescheduled after all planned pre-game events, such as the ceremonial first pitch, are completed. In that case, holding the event again within April may prove difficult.

Jung Hoon graduated from Yangdeok Elementary, Masan Dong Middle, and Yongma High School before joining the professional league in 2006 as a development player for the Hyundai Unicorns. He never played in the Hyundai first team, fulfilled his military service obligation as an active-duty soldier, and then joined Lotte in 2010 as a development player, beginning his long association with the club.

After making his first-team debut in 2010, he began playing full-time starting in 2013. Throughout his time with Lotte's infield, he played a crucial role, and until his retirement in 2025, he recorded a KBO career batting average of 0.271 (4,211 at-bats, 1,143 hits), 80 home runs, 532 RBIs, 637 runs scored, and 76 stolen bases, with an on-base percentage of 0.353 and a slugging percentage of 0.389, establishing himself as a franchise star.

The Lotte organization also prepared a special event for its franchise star, who has dedicated 16 years to the team. To commemorate the retirement ceremony, a fan signing session will be held at the first-floor media wall of Sajik Stadium at 5 p.m. before the game.

During the game, a video titled 'Jung Hoon Moments', created from fan-submitted memorable moments, will be displayed on the stadium's video board. After the bottom of the fifth inning, a cheering segment titled 'BRAVO MY LIFE' will take place alongside the Sajik Karaoke event.

After the game, a credit video titled 'GOOD BYE HOON' will be shown. This will be followed by a video commemorating the player's new beginning, set to the original song 'OH, CAROL'.

Additionally, T-shirts featuring Jung Hoon's life graph will be released as commemorative merchandise. On game day, groundkeepers, ball boys, and the cheer squad will wear the T-shirts. Various other commemorative items, including uniforms, keychains, and commemorative balls, will also be displayed. Limited-edition photo cards and a four-cut photo event have been arranged in collaboration with Fujifilm.

For today's game, Lotte lined up Victor Reyes (left field), No Jin-hyuk (first base), Yoon Dong-hee (right field), Han Dong-hee (third base), Jeon Jun-woo (designated hitter), Son Ho-young (center field), Lee Ho-jun (second base), Jeon Min-jae (shortstop), and Son Seong-bin (catcher). Jeremy Wisely will start on the mound.

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*This content was translated by AI.