'Lee Jung-hoo, a huge relief' Despite thigh injury, starts lineup! Faces ERA 0.50 pitcher Ohtani and shortstop Kim Hye-sung [SF-LAD]

*This content was translated by AI.

It is a huge relief. Lee Jung-hoo (28, San Francisco Giants), who injured his thigh while sprinting home the previous day (22nd), was named in the starting lineup without issue.

On the 23rd (Korean time), San Francisco announced its starting lineup for the home game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2026 Major League Baseball (MLB) regular season at Oracle Park in California, U.S.

San Francisco's lineup for the day: shortstop Willy Adames, second baseman Luis Arraez, third baseman Matt Chapman, first baseman Rafael Devers, designated hitter Casey Schmidt, right fielder Lee Jung-hoo, left fielder Elliot Ramos, center fielder Drew Gilbert, and catcher Patrick Bailey. The starting pitcher is Tyler Malone.

The Dodgers countered with a lineup featuring pitcher Shohei Ohtani, right fielder Kyle Tucker, catcher Will Smith, first baseman Freddie Freeman, left fielder Teoscar Hernandez, third baseman Max Muncy, center fielder Andy Pages, shortstop Kim Hye-sung, and second baseman Miguel Rojas. The starting pitcher is Shohei Ohtani.

Lee Jung-hoo's return to the starting lineup is notable. In his last seven games, Lee has posted a .407 batting average (11 hits in 27 at-bats), 2 RBIs, 2 walks, and 3 strikeouts, with an on-base percentage of .448 and a slugging percentage of .481, showing a clear upward trend.

He also performed brilliantly the previous day with 2 hits in 3 at-bats, 1 RBI, and 2 runs scored, leading San Francisco to a 3-1 victory. However, his participation today raised some concern. Lee collided with Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing while rounding home plate after Elliott Ramos hit a ground ball to center field in the bottom of the sixth inning with two outs.

After being called out, Lee was seen clutching his thigh, and footage captured him unusually expressing frustration due to the pain. He was substituted in the eighth inning, raising further concerns.

Fortunately, the injury was not serious. Following the game, Lee stated in an official interview, "My right thigh, which was injured in Washington, was injured again. But I am fine."

Now returning, he faces a pitcher who is no pushover. Ohtani is on a perfect course toward his first Cy Young Award this season with a 2-0 record in three games, an ERA of 0.50, and 18 strikeouts in 18 innings.

As a hitter, Ohtani has displayed sharp performance in 23 games with a .271 batting average (23 hits in 85 at-bats), 5 home runs, 11 RBIs, 15 runs scored, 1 stolen base, a .396 on-base percentage, a .494 slugging percentage, and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of .890.

Kim Hye-sung also made the starting lineup for the second consecutive day. Kim is also in good form, with a .357 batting average (5 hits in 14 at-bats), 1 home run, and 3 RBIs over his last seven games, along with a .471 on-base percentage and a .643 slugging percentage.

The key question is how well he will perform against San Francisco's right-handed pitcher Malone. Malone has struggled this season with 3 losses in 4 games, no wins, and an ERA of 7.23.

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*This content was translated by AI.