'National Team Third Baseman to Miss at Least a Month' Despite the Massive Setback, the Manager Smiles: "I Felt Grateful the Moment I Heard It... All My Worries Vanished"

*This content was translated by AI.

LG Twins manager Yeom Kyung-yeop (58) smiled with a sigh of relief despite the injury to national team third baseman Moon Bo-kyung (26).

Manager Yeom Kyung-yeop revealed his honest feelings ahead of the the 6th game against the Jamsil Doosan Bears, stating, "There is no easy season. I thought we would be at full strength by May, but it seems we won't be until June. It's been delayed by another month."

The manager let out a sigh because of the injuries that occurred all at once the previous day (the 5th). Moon Bo-kyung, who started as the LG fourth hitter and first baseman, was substituted for by Son Yong-jun during the bottom of the fourth inning and was taken away on a stretcher. While fielding a ground ball, a ball that he failed to catch initially rolled toward Moon Bo-kyung's feet. Moon Bo-kyung stepped on the ball, severely twisting his left ankle and was unable to get up. Shortly after, in the bottom of the seventh inning, pinch runner Choi Won-young, who was inserted into the game, suffered a severe right ankle injury while rounding third base and left the field.

According to two rounds of examinations, Moon Bo-kyung has a left ankle ligament injury and is expected to require 4 to 5 weeks for rehabilitation before returning, while Choi Won-young has a right ankle ligament injury and is expected to require 7 to 8 weeks. Moon Bo-kyung, who started the season despite suffering from back pain, was the cornerstone of the lineup with a .310 batting average (31 hits in 100 at-bats), 3 home runs, 19 RBIs, 14 runs scored, and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 0.892 in 30 games, making the loss painful. Choi Won-young was disappointing to lose as he had shown solid defense capable of playing all outfield positions.

However, it is reported that he felt relieved because the injury prognosis was not as severe as expected. Especially in Moon Bo-kyung's case, he complained of such severe pain that he could not even be supported, so there was concern about a long-term injury.

Manager Yeom said, "I am truly grateful that the rehabilitation period is just one month. When I heard the news of a 2 to 3-month injury the previous day, I was extremely worried about how to cope. I was still worrying until this morning (the 6th), but the moment I heard it was only one month, all my worries vanished." He added, "If it were a three-month injury, we would have had to change the overall framework. The team could have been shaken. But the moment I heard that one month would be enough, my mind was simply organized, and I truly felt grateful."

The thinking is that a one-month delay in reaching full strength is not a problem. Originally, the manager had resolved to hold on until May when sending the seven players from the Seon Su-reul (CEO) team, the most among the 10th KBO teams, to the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC). However, LG, with its solid lineup, is currently marking a win-loss margin of +10 with 21 wins and 11 losses as of the end of the May 6 game.

Manager Yeom said, "I think injuries occurring in the crucial 7th to 9th months are far worse than injuries occurring in the early season. Of course, no more injuries are allowed now," but also added, "We were supposed to hold on well until May due to WBC aftereffects, but there are teams worse than us that are winning two more games than our target. If only we had injuries, it would not have been easy to hold on. In that sense, I am grateful to the god of baseball."

Crisis is also an opportunity for some players. The manager hoped that the young prospects would seize this rare opportunity. Manager Yeom said, "It is sad and upsetting that (Moon) Bo-kyung is injured, but I think positively. With Bo-kyung out, (Lee) Jae-won, (Kim) Sung-jin, and (Song) Chan-ui will get more opportunities. Whether results come out or not, I believe there will be a definite improvement for those players, both personally and for the team, in the second half of this year or next year."

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*This content was translated by AI.