'I keep thinking about Kim Young-woong' Samsung deepens lineup concerns, waits for 'late June return'

*This content was translated by AI.

"I thought we wouldn't have to worry about the batting order when the season started…."

Samsung Lions manager Park Jin-man (50) let out a deep sigh. As the lineup failed to click and failed to deliver timely hits, the bench's concerns have deepened. Recently, the absence of 'young power hitter' Kim Young-woong (23), who can deliver a crucial hit in every scoring opportunity, has felt particularly large.

On the 10th, Samsung lost 3-4 to KT in an away game at Suwon KT Wiz Park in the '2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League'. Trailing 0-4, they rallied in the bottom of the 7th inning thanks to a three-run home run by Lee Jae-hyun, but that was as far as they got. Plagued by a hitless game with only three hits, they managed to score just three runs.

With this loss, Samsung fell into a three-game losing streak. Most seriously, the offense has gone silent. Looking at the team's performance over the last 10 games, Samsung's team batting average stands at 0.233, the lowest among the 10th teams during that period. Especially in the games against Suwon KT on the 9th and 10th, despite starters Choi Won-tae and Won Tae-in performing their roles well without collapsing, they were left without offensive support and had to hang their heads.

Given the situation, Kim Young-woong's name naturally comes up. He may not be a contact hitter known for precision, but he is a key batter for Samsung who led the middle of the lineup with 28 home runs in 2024 and 22 home runs in 2025. However, this season he has been hampered by the curse of injury. After leaving due to a left hamstring strain in April, he re-injured the same area in his Futures League return game on May 6. Medical examination revealed a grade 1 strain of the left hamstring semitendinosus muscle, forcing him into a long rehabilitation process.

Fortunately, news has emerged that he is about to return. Manager Park Jin-man, meeting with reporters ahead of the KT game on the 10th, said about Kim Young-woong, "We completed the final video check last week and received reports that he has fully recovered. He is now starting technical training. If all goes well, he could join the first division by the end of June."

Nearly two months of absence. Fortunately, his recovery pace has been smooth. Manager Park stated, "The hamstring is 100% healed. If he goes through each stage without issues, including technical training, the call-up could happen 2-3 days earlier than expected." However, he also showed a cautious stance, adding, "But it has been over two months since he last played. We plan to have him play 3-4 games in the Futures League while monitoring his condition before promoting him."

Given the long wait for his return, the manager's expectations are exceptionally high. Manager Park Jin-man remarked, "While Kim Young-woong was out, other players kept playing and sacrificed a lot. Now that he returns to the first division, he should come back with the mindset of playing full time without being substituted," delivering a pointed joke.

Meanwhile, on the mound, welcome faces are also preparing to return. 'Top prospect' Yuk Seon-yeop, who left the first division due to elbow pain, and veteran reliefer Kim Tae-hoon, who injured his right ankle, are adjusting their game readiness in the Futures League.

Manager Park explained, "The pitchers have already entered the Futures League game phase. Yuk Seon-yeop can be called up at any time if a relief pitcher becomes unavailable. Kim Tae-hoon has just played his first game, so it may take a bit longer."

Samsung is in a severe batting slump. It remains to be seen whether Kim Young-woong can return in good health and clear away manager Park Jin-man's 'batting order concerns' decisively.

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*This content was translated by AI.