'He hit a home run the day before...' Why was the home run champion left out of the starting lineup? → The manager explained the reason directly [Jamsil]

*This content was translated by AI.

SSG Landers will head to the final game of the three-game weekend series against Doosan Bears in pursuit of a winning series.

SSG will face Doosan at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium at 2 p.m. on the 10th for a 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular-season away game.

SSG won the first game of the three-game weekend series against Doosan on the 8th with a 4-1 victory. However, they lost the previous day's game 4-9, resetting the series record to one win and one loss.

For today's game, SSG set its starting lineup in the following order: An Sang-hyun (shortstop), Jung Jun-jae (second baseman), Choi Jung (third baseman), Heredia (left fielder), Oh Tae-gon (first baseman), Chae Hyun-woo (right fielder), Ryu Hyo-seung (designated hitter), Jo Hyung-woo (catcher), and Choi Ji-hoon (center fielder). The starting pitcher is Choi Min-jun.

Changes were also made to the first-division roster. Pitcher Baek Seung-geon was removed, and pitcher Lee Jun-gi was called up. After graduating from Gyeongseong Commercial High School, Lee was selected by the Hanwha Eagles in the second round, 7th pick (overall 62nd) of the 2021 rookie draft. He played for Hanwha through the 2023 season, then moved to Seongnam Macphies (2024) and Hwaseong Coryo (2025) before joining SSG as a development player ahead of this season.

However, Kim Jae-hwan, known as the "Jamsil Home Run Champion," was left out of the starting lineup. Kim recorded a multi-hit game against Doosan on the 8th and hit a two-run home run the following day.

Before the game, SSG manager Lee Sung-yong, the team's skipper, commented on Kim Jae-hwan: "Before he was sent down to the minor league, he had few strikeouts and many walks. Now, he swings more aggressively. His lower body has developed rhythm, and he is making solid contact at the moment of hitting. I view this positively. I believe he can now move forward with stability."

He continued, "However, for today, he will rest first and then be on standby. We considered various factors, including the opposing starting pitcher. He has been running non-stop for a long time, and there are mental aspects to consider. From the manager's perspective, protecting our players is the top priority. In the past, I would have just pushed him forward, but these days, the players are different. Also, Park Seong-hyun has also been playing without rest, so the plan is to hold him back for now. There are still more than 100 games left. The intention is to manage him well from now on without any injuries."

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*This content was translated by AI.