'Dizzy' Park Soo-jong collapses from a hit by pitch; eardrum perforated... Recovery expected to take about three weeks

*This content was translated by AI.

Park Soo-jong (27, Kiwoom Heroes), who collapsed from a dizzying hit by pitch, has avoided the worst-case scenario.

Kiwoom Heroes announced on the 27th that "outfielder Park Soo-jong, who was replaced in the bottom of the 8th inning of the game against Samsung on the 26th after being hit by a pitch (determined to have struck the back and then the area behind the ear), was diagnosed with a perforated left eardrum following a hospital examination, and recovery is expected to take about three weeks."

At first glance, the scene appeared to be a headshot. In the bottom of the 8th inning with two outs and a runner on first base, Park was facing off against Samsung pitcher Yura Miyaji when he was struck in the head area by a 148 km/h fastball and collapsed. It was a shocking situation for everyone present. Park got up shortly afterward, walked to first base, and was then replaced by pinch runner Im Byung-wook.

Kiwoom later stated that "he was hit on the left occipital bone and would be moved to a hospital after being replaced," yet the umpires did not order Miyaji's ejection. They did not judge it as a headshot. While it was difficult to confirm clearly, it appears the pitch first struck his back and then forcefully hit his ear area.

Although it was not ruled as a headshot ejection, Samsung immediately replaced the pitcher with Lee Seung-hyun, and the scene appeared to warrant a headshot ejection judgment.

A perforated eardrum occurs when a hole forms in the eardrum, which can be caused by sudden external impact or infection. Symptoms may include sudden pain, bleeding, hearing loss, tinnitus, and in severe cases, dizziness.

Fortunately, the head was not struck directly. Had the head been hit directly, sequelae could have been more severe.

Kiwoom added that "there will be no impact on training or game participation, but his physical condition will be continuously monitored."

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*This content was translated by AI.