*This content was translated by AI.
The competition between the 2003-born rivals who will be responsible for Korea's baseball future in the future is expected to be delayed a bit longer. KT Wiz outfielder An Hyeon-min (23) has been pushed back to mid-June for his return.
KT manager Lee Kang-cheol (60) stated on the 15th ahead of the match against the Suwon Hanwha Eagles, "An Hyeon-min will likely take some time. He might not return until mid-June."
An Hyeon-min injured his right hamstring while running the bases during the match against the Changwon NC Dinos on the 15th of last month. The situation appeared serious at the time of the injury. A batted ball hit shortstop Kim Joo-won's glove, deflected, and headed toward the outfield. An Hyeon-min felt pain while rushing to second base.
According to two rounds of examinations, a significant amount of blood had accumulated in An Hyeon-min's right thigh, and at least a month of rehabilitation was expected just to confirm the torn area. On the same day, Heo Kyung-min (36), who also injured his left hamstring, received the same one-month rehabilitation assessment, but the reason for the difference from his return as scheduled in the Suwon SSG Landers match on the 12th is that he was able to return.
The manager is also frustrated. An Hyeon-min graduated from Imho Elementary (Gimhae Little League), Gaeseong Middle School, and Masan High School, and joined KT as the 38th pick in the 2nd round of the 2022 KBO Rookie Draft. He blossomed in his fourth professional year last year. In the regular season last year, he played 112 games with a batting average of 0.334 (395 at-bats, 132 hits), 22 home runs, 80 RBIs, and an OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 1.018, Shin In-wang-eul (수상).
He also showed competitiveness in the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC), and this year he is recording a batting average of 0.365 (52 at-bats, 19 hits), 3 home runs, 11 RBIs, and an OPS of 1.161 in 14 games, so much activity was expected. In particular, the rivalry with Kim Do-young (23, KIA Tigers), the 2024 KBO MVP and his same-age friend, also drew attention.
Kim Do-young, who struggled with hamstring injuries three times last year, started the season healthily this year, raising expectations even higher. So far, he has been performing well in 41 games with a batting average of 0.280 (150 at-bats, 42 hits), 12 home runs, 35 RBIs, and an OPS of 0.975.
However, with An Hyeon-min's return delayed by another month, their proper competition can only be expected in the second half of the season. Manager Lee Kang-cheol said, "You might think there is only about a month left until (An Hyeon-min's) return, but he has already been out for a month. (From my perspective) I feel like there is a whole month left," failing to hide his distressed feelings.
For KT, the fortunate thing is the rebound of foreign hitter Sam Hilliard (32). As of April, Hilliard had played 28 games with a batting average of 0.232 (112 at-bats, 26 hits), 5 home runs, 21 RBIs, 12 walks, and 37 strikeouts, a level that raised concerns about his potential removal. However, since May, he has led the KT lineup with 12 games, a batting average of 0.333 (45 at-bats, 15 hits), 6 home runs, 14 RBIs, 9 walks, 13 strikeouts, and an OPS of 1.236. In the match against Suwon SSG on the 14th, he contributed with 2 hits, 1 walk, and 3 times on base, including a tying bases-loaded home run, keeping the game tense until the end.
Not only Hilliard, but outfielders Kim Hyun-soo (38) and Choi Won-jun (29), and catcher Han Seung-taek (32), who were signed this year, are also doing their part, and KT is minimizing An Hyeon-min's absence by ranking first in team batting average (0.286) and second in OPS (0.781) among league teams. Manager Lee Kang-cheol said, "Yesterday (the SSG match on the 14th), I didn't even think we would tie 6-6. Even though we lost, it seems our team has gained strength. Hilliard also gained a lot of confidence."
He then added, "I thought Hilliard would be fine once he adapted. At first, he was used to the ABS (Automated Ball-Strike System), but he didn't know the types of pitchers in the KBO League at first," and smiled, saying, "Korean pitchers (unlike in the U.S.) mix in breaking balls, so he couldn't adapt. But as he kept watching, it seems he has learned to pick his pitches and adapted well."
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*This content was translated by AI.
