'Back Pain' Lee Jung-hoo Return Date Suddenly Revealed! "Training Begins → Expected Return This Weekend" Manager Announces Directly

*This content was translated by AI.

The countdown for Lee Jung-hoo (28, San Francisco Giants) to return to the major leagues after leaving the lineup due to back pain has finally begun. After focusing on recovery following his placement on the injured list (IL), Lee Jung-hoo has resumed full-scale training and is expected to return to the field as early as this weekend. This is a specific return scenario directly revealed by the manager.

According to a report by NBC Sports Bay Area on the 27th (Korea time), Tony Vitello (48), manager of the San Francisco Giants, met with reporters at Oracle Park in San Francisco, California, ahead of the home game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, and explained Lee Jung-hoo's injury recovery status and future schedule.

Manager Vitello stated, "Lee Jung-hoo will officially begin baseball activities starting today," and added, "If there is no additional pain or recurrence during training, a return to the lineup for this weekend's game against the Colorado Rockies is certainly possible," offering a positive outlook.

Continuing, Manager Vitello said, "After resting without any activity for some time, we plan to gradually increase training intensity starting today. Through today's training, we will check his overall condition by getting his body moving. The most important part is whether there is any pain when twisting his body during the swing. If the injured area holds up well, he should be able to prepare for the weekend game," adding details about the specific buildup process.

Lee Jung-hoo felt pain in his back while swinging during an at-bat in the game against Arizona on the 19th and left the game at the start of the bottom of the 4th inning. Subsequent detailed examinations diagnosed him with back muscle strain, leading to his placement on the 10th-day injured list. There was certainly regret, as he was on a hot streak with consecutive hits in five games just before the injury.

This season, Lee Jung-hoo has played in 48 games, recording a batting average of 0.268 (48 hits in 179 at-bats), 3 home runs, 17 RBIs, and an OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 0.696, achieving decent results. He continues to showcase his unique precise batting skills and energetic presence in the outfield.

During the period Lee Jung-hoo was absent, the San Francisco Giants hastily called up outfielder Victor Berico (25), who was hitting powerfully in the minor league Triple-A, to fill the gap. However, considering the weight of the lineup and the presence of the leadoff hitter, Lee Jung-hoo's return is like having "ten thousand troops and a thousand horses."

If Lee Jung-hoo successfully returns this weekend as per Manager Vitello's scenario, he is scheduled to immediately join the road series against the Colorado Rockies, who are also in the National League (NL) West Division. It remains to be seen whether Lee Jung-hoo can shake up the ballpark once again.

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*This content was translated by AI.