'Kang Baek-ho Misses Out Again' Kim Kyung-moon Worries: "He Says He's Fine..." Yoo Min Starts Consecutively in 2nd Game [Busan Field Report]

*This content was translated by AI.

'RBI Leader' Kang Baek-ho has once again been left out of the starting lineup. With pain in his thigh, the decision was made not to push him.

Kim Kyung-moon (68), manager of Hanwha, met with reporters ahead of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League away game against Lotte Giants at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan on the 5th, stating, "(Kang Baek-ho) is experiencing some discomfort in his leg. We are considering using him as a pinch hitter today."

According to Hanwha's club side, Kang Baek-ho is dealing with discomfort in his left hamstring.

Ahead of this season, Kang Baek-ho signed a four-year, 10 billion won contract with Hanwha. In 52 games, he has delivered extraordinary performance with a.333 batting average (70 hits in 210 at-bats), 12 home runs, 60 RBIs, 35 runs scored, a.405 on-base percentage, a.576 slugging percentage, and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 0.981.

Especially in the RBI category, he is leading by an overwhelming margin. Alongside fellow power hitters Yonatan Peraza and Moon Hyun-bin, who frequently drive in runs and record a.455 batting average with runners in scoring position, Kang Baek-ho continues to accumulate RBIs, shining in clutch situations. This is why Hanwha remains in fifth place despite pitching that is lacking compared to last year.

It is not a major injury. However, the team is not rushing to focus solely on immediate results. Manager Kim stated, "He always says he's fine, but if he gets injured again, it could take several months. As a manager, I wouldn't want to use him. If players rest well when they feel a bit of pain, they can fully recover and perform even better. But if they are rushed into action for a single game and get injured, they could lose a month. Today, we are considering using him as a pinch hitter or designated hitter at a favorable timing later, or if a chance arises."

Hanwha set its starting lineup as follows: Jin-young Lee (center fielder), Yonatan Peraza (right fielder), Moon Hyun-bin (left fielder), Noh Si-hwan (third baseman), Yoo Min (designated hitter), Tae-yeon Kim (first baseman), Do-yoon Lee (second baseman), Jae-hoon Choi (catcher), and Woo-jun Sim (shortstop). Ryu Hyun-jin will take the mound.

Yoo Min fills Kang Baek-ho's designated hitter spot. After joining Hanwha in the second round of the 2022 rookie draft, Yoo Min played only in the Futures League until this season. In the Futures League this year, he hit.333 (48 hits in 144 at-bats) with 5 home runs, 41 RBIs, and an OPS of 0.984. He was called up on the 4th and appeared in a game, recording one hitless at-bat and one strikeout, though he reached base via a hit-by-pitch. Manager Kim gave Yoo Min the starting opportunity again today.

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*This content was translated by AI.