"It looks like it'll be fun. I'll swing as hard as I can." Noh Si-hwan makes his first-ever leadoff appearance after eight years! Ryu Hyun-jin's bid for 200 career wins in Korea and the U.S. lineup announced [Suwon]

*This content was translated by AI.

Hanwha Eagles manager Kim Kyung-moon (68) unveiled a bold lineup. National team fourth hitter Noh Si-hwan (26) will bat leadoff for the first time since his debut eight years ago.

On the 17th, Hanwha announced its starting lineup ahead of its road game against KT Wiz at Suwon KT Wiz Park in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular season.

That day, Hanwha set its batting order as Noh Si-hwan (third baseman)-Yonatan Peraza (outfielder-left)-Moon Hyun-bin (outfielder-left)-Kang Baek-ho (designated hitter)-Lee Jin-young (center fielder)-Lee Do-yoon (second baseman)-Kim Tae-yeon (first baseman)-Choi Jae-hoon (catcher)-Sim Woo-jun (shortstop). The starting pitcher is Ryu Hyun-jin.

The most notable change is Noh Si-hwan's placement at leadoff. After graduating from Busan Suyoung Elementary, Gyeongnam Middle, and Gyeongnam High, Noh Si-hwan was selected as the third overall pick in the second round of the 2019 KBO Rookie Draft and joined Hanwha. He has never started a game as a leadoff hitter. In 864 games and 3,507 plate appearances, his only appearance in the leadoff spot was as a pinch-hitter in the fifth inning of a game against Kiwoom Heroes at Gocheok Sky Dome on May 8, 2020.

Hanwha manager Kim Kyung-moon explained the reason: "Kang Baek-ho has been hitting so well, so I wanted Noh Si-hwan to feel comfortable batting leadoff."

How did the player himself feel about his first leadoff appearance? When Noh Si-hwan met reporters before the game, he said, "I didn't think much about it. The batting order doesn't matter to me; if I bat leadoff, it feels like I'm hitting from first to ninth in the pros." He added, "It looks like it'll be fun. Since I'll get more plate appearances as a leadoff hitter, I want to hit as many hits as possible to help senior Ryu Hyun-jin reach his 200th win."

Catcher Heo In-seo (23), who has been on a hot streak with a .450 batting average (18 hits in 40 at-bats), five home runs, and 15 RBIs over his last 10 games, will take a short break. Heo In-seo has been playing consistently and has recorded hits in 12 consecutive games. However, given the physical demands of the catcher position, managing his stamina is necessary for back-to-back day games.

When asked about Heo In-seo's performance, manager Kim Kyung-moon said, "Choi Jae-hoon will catch when Ryu Hyun-jin is pitching." He continued, "Heo In-seo still has a lot of room to grow, so there's no need for excessive praise. He still has much to learn, but his potential is great. That's why we're using him, and he's performing beyond expectations. However, catchers can affect the team if they get too excited. So I'd like to offer praise a bit later, after everything is settled."

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*This content was translated by AI.