"It will take about a month" — despite a wrist fracture, one-handed batting and fighting spirit return of the 'obsessive third baseman' — when will he come back? Even the manager is looking only toward June.

*This content was translated by AI.

NC Dinos third baseman Kim Hwi-jip's return has been delayed a bit longer.

NC manager Lee Ho-jun, ahead of the the 22nd match against Suwon KT Wiz, stated on the 22nd, "Kim Hwi-jip will likely take a bit longer. It will probably take about a month," providing an update on his condition.

Kim Hwi-jip suffered a fractured wristbone after being hit on the right wrist by Matt Sauer during a the 16th match against Changwon KT. He opted for rehabilitation without surgery, and his return was initially expected in about six weeks. Had things proceeded as planned, his return timeline should have been clear by early June.

However, his return appears to be delayed by an additional one to two weeks beyond the original schedule. An NC club official explained, "Kim Hwi-jip's bones have not fully healed yet. We will be able to set a specific return date only after the bones have fully knit together. The manager likely said it would take a long time with that in mind."

Kim Hwi-jip, who joined NC via a trade two years ago, has grown into a major infielder capable of hitting double-digit home runs each season. Starting with 16 home runs in his first NC season, he hit 17 last year and is currently batting .288 (15 hits in 52 at-bats) in 16 games this year.

Kim Hwi-jip's determination to return makes the slow recovery pace seem almost frustrating. An NC club official shared, "Kim Hwi-jip is currently not using his right arm at all. However, he continues to report to Changwon NC Park daily, performing lower-body exercises and practicing one-handed batting with his left hand. When asked, he said he is doing this to avoid losing his feel so he can deliver results immediately upon his return."

It is truly a display of fighting spirit. Even his peer and friend is in awe of his passion. Kim Ju-won, whom I recently met at Jamsil, laughed and said, "I keep in touch with (Kim) Hwi-jip from time to time and even see him at Changwon Baseball Stadium. I tell him to rest well during times like this, but he is full of fighting spirit. So I just tell him to keep enduring the hardship."

NC lost to KT 4-7 on this day, falling into a four-game losing streak and failing to escape the league's last place. This was due to a string of injuries, including Kim Hwi-jip. Fortunately, even in this dark tunnel of injuries, light is beginning to appear.

Seo Ho-cheol (30), who suffered a hamstring injury; Cheon Jae-hwan (32), who injured his left foot; and Shin Min-hyeok (27), who has been experiencing elbow discomfort, are all expected to return, raising hopes for a fully restored roster by June.

Manager Lee Ho-jun explained, "We have received reports that Seo Ho-cheol is improving. Since he is currently playing in the Futures League, I think he could return within a week. As for (Cheon) Jae-hwan, he is also ready, but since (Park) Si-won and other players are performing well, we plan to give him a bit more time." He added, "(Shin) Min-hyeok's condition is simply inflammation. He may not return immediately in the next rotation, but there is no need to worry too much."

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*This content was translated by AI.