'Shock': Lotte Giants simultaneously remove six players from first-division roster; Manager Kim Tae-hyung explains directly "What could the coaches have done wrong... Even veterans needed to recharge" [Gwangju field report]

*This content was translated by AI.

Lotte Giants manager Kim Tae-hyung (59) revealed the reasons for excluding six players, including the starting pitching coach and team captain, from the first-division roster just one day after the decision.

Ahead of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular-season away game against KIA Tigers at Gwangju Kia Champions Field on the 3rd, Manager Kim Tae-hyung explained, "We made changes at the start of June. Even veteran players have been struggling with their form due to lack of game action, so we wanted to give them about ten days to recharge. What could the coaches have done wrong? Still, we believed it was better to create a change in atmosphere rather than continue as is."

Prior to the game, Lotte removed six players from the first-division roster: first-division pitching coach Kim Sang-jin, first-division battery coach Baek Yong-hwan, captain Jeon Jun-woo, Jung Cheol-won, Yu Gangnam, and Kim Dong-hyun. They were replaced by Futures League pitching coach Kim Hyun-wook, Futures League battery coach Yong Deok-han, Jeong Bo-geun, Jo Se-jin, Choi Hang, and Lee Jin-ha.

Lotte has fallen to ninth place in the league with three wins and seven losses in their last ten games. In the previous day's (2nd) match, despite a big eighth-inning rally with four runs that turned the game around, they suffered a three-game losing streak after Na Seung-beom hit a tying home run in the bottom of the eighth and Han Jun-soo hit a walk-off sacrifice fly with one out and runners on third base in the bottom of the ninth. Particularly painful was a defensive lapse by catcher Son Seong-bin in the bottom of the ninth with one out and runners on second base, which allowed a runner to advance to third. Son Seong-bin had also allowed additional advancement in the bottom of the seventh by failing to catch Hong Min-gi's slider.

In response, Manager Kim Tae-hyung defended, "(Hong) Min-gi's slider had a sharp angle, making it difficult to catch. While the catcher should ideally handle such pitches, it's understandable when there are runners on base and blocking is a concern." He also pointed out areas for improvement: "In such situations, the pitcher should wait calmly to catch the ball, but the body keeps moving forward. When anxious, the pitcher tends to chase the ball, and moving forward narrows the lateral coverage."

However, Son Seong-bin remained the starting catcher for the day. Lotte's lineup for the game was: Hwang Seong-bin (center field), Go Seung-min (right field), Victor Reyes (designated hitter), Na Seung-yeop (first base), Son Ho-young (third base), Han Tae-yang (second base), Jo Se-jin (left field), Son Seong-bin (catcher), and Kim Se-min (shortstop). The starting pitcher was Kim Jin-wook.

KIA countered with a lineup featuring Park Jae-hyun (left field), Adelin Rodriguez (first base), Kim Do-young (third base), Na Seung-beom (right field), Kim Sun-bin (designated hitter), Han Jun-soo (catcher), Kim Ho-ryeong (center field), Park Min (shortstop), and Kim Gyu-seong (second base). The starting pitcher was Hwang Dong-ha.

The decision stems from the belief that Son Seong-bin, who struggled to secure a regular spot even during his debut season, can continue to learn and grow. As a potential future mainstay, the team has chosen to trust and wait for him. When asked by reporters about Son Seong-bin's potential as a starting catcher, the manager responded, "Statistically, Son Seong-bin and Park Jae-yeop remain the two players with the highest probability of succeeding in that role."

Manager Kim Tae-hyung added, "Son Seong-bin isn't the best at catching pitches for a catcher, but his defense has improved significantly. When I first arrived, he even caught bullpen pitches like a position player. Now, he's much better. His blocking timing has improved, and with greater psychological stability, he can improve even further."

Manager Kim Tae-hyung also offered encouragement to captain Jeon Jun-woo, who was sent to the minor league not due to injury but to revitalize the team's atmosphere. Go Seung-min will temporarily fill Jeon Jun-woo's spot. The manager explained, "I spoke with Jun-woo this morning and told him to go to the minor league and relax. It's tough for veterans; even if they perform well, it's considered the bare minimum. If they underperform, they face far more criticism than younger players. The stress involved is no small matter."

He continued, "Recently, I noticed that when Jun-woo or Yu Gangnam was brought in as a pinch hitter, the crowd booed. I thought it would be acceptable for them to spend about ten days away."

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*This content was translated by AI.