'Moon Bo-kyung absent from the fourth spot in the lineup': Cheon Seong-ho takes over! LG's Lee Jae-won returns to seventh spot and left field... Manager Yeom Kyung-yeop: "It's heartbreaking, but it's an opportunity for other players" [Jamsil on-site]

*This content was translated by AI.

A wind of change swept through the LG Twins' starting lineup amid a surge of injured players.

On the 6th, LG announced its starting lineup for the home game against Doosan Bears at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium as part of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular season.

On this day, LG set its batting order as follows: Hong Chang-ki (right fielder), Shin Min-jae (second baseman), Austin Dean (first baseman), Cheon Seong-ho (third baseman), Song Chan-ui (designated hitter), Park Hae-min (center fielder), Park Dong-won (catcher), Koo Bon-hyeok (shortstop), and Lee Jae-won (left fielder). Right-handed pitcher Im Chan-kyu was named the starting pitcher.

There was one change after the lineup announcement. As Park Dong-won (36), who had not started the previous day (5th) due to back pain, showed improvement, the catcher position was switched from Lee Ju-heon to Park Dong-won. Consequently, Lee Jae-won moved to the seventh spot behind Park Hae-min, while Koo Bon-hyeok and Lee Jae-won were pushed back one position each from their original spots.

Despite winning the previous day (5th), LG could not celebrate freely. National team third baseman Moon Bo-kyung (26) and backup center fielder Choi Won-young (23) left the game due to ankle injuries sustained while running the bases. Both players underwent examinations on the 5th and detailed tests on the 6th. Moon Bo-kyung was diagnosed with a left ankle ligament injury, with an expected rehabilitation period of four to five weeks, while Choi Won-young suffered a right ankle ligament injury, requiring seven to eight weeks of recovery.

Naturally, there were significant changes to the first-team roster. Before the game, infielder Moon Bo-kyung, outfielder Choi Won-young, and right-handed pitcher Lee Jong-jun (25) were removed from the first-team roster. They were replaced by right-handed pitcher Bae Jae-jun (32), outfielder Lee Jae-won (27), and infielder Kim Sung-jin (26).

Manager Yeom Kyung-yeop, who met with reporters before the game, said, "(Moon) Bo-kyung's injury is disappointing and heartbreaking, but I think positively. With Bo-kyung out, more opportunities will go to (Lee) Jae-won, (Kim) Sung-jin, and (Song) Chan-ui. Whether results come or not, I believe there will be definite improvements for these players, both personally and for the team, in the second half of this year or next year."

Especially for Lee Jae-won, this is a golden opportunity. Last year, after dominating the Futures League (second-team league) while serving in the Army (Military Baseball Team), he returned to the first-team stage this year. However, he showed his worst performance in the regular season with a .063 batting average (16 at-bats, 1 hit), three walks and hit-by-pitches (two walks, one hit-by-pitch), 11 strikeouts, a .211 on-base percentage, and a .063 slugging percentage, eventually being sent down to the second team.

The second-team stage was once again a place of explosive performance. In nine Futures League games, Lee Jae-won posted a .438 batting average (32 at-bats, 14 hits), eight RBIs, nine runs scored, eight walks, five strikeouts, a .550 on-base percentage, and a .531 slugging percentage, generating strong expectations.

Kim Sung-jin, who also rose with him, is a promising infielder who showed excellent form in the Futures League. Kim Sung-jin graduated from Suwon Sin-gok Elementary, Maehyang Middle, and Yatab High School before being drafted by LG in the second round, 65th overall, of the 2019 KBO Rookie Draft. He is a right-handed batter and right-handed thrower.

In this year's Futures League, he drew expectations with a .385 batting average (91 at-bats, 35 hits), one home run, 25 RBIs, 10 runs scored, eight walks and hit-by-pitches (five walks, three hit-by-pitches), 17 strikeouts, a .430 on-base percentage, and a .505 slugging percentage across 27 games.

There is also anticipation for the veterans at the start of the season. Manager Yeom stated, "Given the flow, it's time for (Park) Dong-won and (Oh) Ji-hwan to step up. I believe they will fill the gap. (Moon) Sung-ju and (Moon) Bo-kyung are expected to return around the same time, and the empty space will be an opportunity for (Koo) Bon-hyeok and (Cheon) Seong-ho to grow to the next level."

He continued, "I believe the team can move in such a positive direction. While the situation is regrettable, the game is the game. Last year, when (Hong) Chang-ki was absent, we thought it would be the end, but his absence created opportunities for other players, leading to positive outcomes."

The fourth spot in the lineup, vacant due to Moon Bo-kyung's absence, will likely see frequent changes for the time being. For now, Cheon Seong-ho, who has been hitting well with a .318 batting average over his last 10 games, will fill the position. Manager Yeom explained, "We plan to use a player with fewer strikeouts behind Austin at the fourth spot. It's about not competing directly with Austin. When there are runners on base, it's better to have a player with a lower strikeout rate than a high one in the fourth spot."

He added, "Even without a hit, a batter who can drive in runs through contact is ideal for the fourth spot. I believe this is the most efficient way for us to score runs."

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*This content was translated by AI.