Kim Taek-yeon's return imminent! "If no appearance in Futures League on the 8th, will join the Busan road trip on the 9th," Kim Won-hyeong directly announced

*This content was translated by AI.

The return of Doosan Bears' established closer Kim Taek-yeon (21) to the first division is finally imminent. Doosan manager Kim Won-hyeong (54) directly revealed Kim Taek-yeon's return roadmap.

Manager Kim Won-hyeong met with reporters ahead of the home game against Kiwoom Heroes in the '2026 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League' at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Songpa-gu, Seoul, on the 7th, explaining Kim Taek-yeon's condition and future schedule after being sidelined due to injury.

Manager Kim stated, "Taek-yeon made his first appearance yesterday (the 6th) in Icheon," and added, "He is scheduled for one final appearance in the 2nd division (Futures League) on the 8th." He further specified the return schedule: "After confirming his throwing motion and conducting a final health check, if there are no issues, we plan to have him join the first division starting from the 9th Busan road trip (against Lotte Giants)."

Kim Taek-yeon received a diagnosis of a strain in his right shoulder's supraspinatus muscle during bullpen pitching on April 24 and has been focusing on rehabilitation since. On the 6th, he made a relief appearance in a Futures League game against NC Dinos in Icheon, recording one inning with two hits allowed, one strikeout, and one earned run, fine-tuning his game readiness. It is encouraging that he threw the ball healthily rather than focusing solely on results.

Currently, the Doosan bullpen is suffering from a series of injury setbacks. Right-handed pitcher Yang Jae-hoon and sidearm pitcher Choi Won-jun have both undergone Tommy John surgery, ruling them out for the season, and ace reliever Kim Jeong-woo was also removed from the first division roster due to elbow pain, raising concerns about bullpen overload. At this point, news of the return of the 'final boss' Kim Taek-yeon is like a welcome rain in a drought for the Doosan mound. Most notably, Kim Taek-yeon has posted solid records in nine games this season with no wins or losses, three saves, and an ERA of 0.87.

However, manager Kim Won-hyeong appears unlikely to immediately burden Kim Taek-yeon with the full closer responsibilities even after his return to the first division. Manager Kim had previously declared, "Even if Kim Taek-yeon returns, we will send him out in a comfortable situation for his first game, and then decide his role based on his condition." For the time being, it is expected that the team will monitor the role and situation of Lee Young-ha (29), who is currently serving as the closer.

Ultimately, the final hurdle for his return is the appearance in the Futures League on the 8th. If he delivers a clean, pain-free performance, Doosan fans are expected to see Kim Taek-yeon back at Sajik Stadium on the 9th.

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*This content was translated by AI.