'Finally,' KIA's 'thousands of troops and tens of thousands of horses' are beginning to return one by one, as the team prepares for a crucial six-game series against the first- and second-place teams. Can they break the 'three-strong' system?

*This content was translated by AI.

Amidst some gaps created by the recent departure of substitute foreign hitter Adelin Rodriguez, injured players are expected to return soon.

First, KIA bullpen resource Jeon Sang-hyun made his first live appearance in the Futures League. Jeon took the mound in a Futures League game against the NC Dinos Futures Team at Masan Baseball Stadium the previous day (13th), pitching a perfect inning (one up, one down, one down). According to KIA officials, his fastball reached a maximum speed of 141 km/h.

Jeon Sang-hyun had not taken the mound since the Samsung Lions game on April 7. At that time, he was diagnosed with an intercostal muscle strain and left the lineup. After dedicating about two months to rehabilitation, he faced his first live game, bringing his return within sight.

KIA has a crucial six-game series scheduled for next week. The opponents are no pushovers. First, they will play a three-game series against LG Twins at home during the week. Then, they will travel to Suwon to face the KT Wiz in a three-game series over the weekend.

Infielders are also preparing to return. Park Sang-jun, who suffered an abdominal muscle strain, and Oh Seon-woo, who was diagnosed with a partial tear of the right shoulder labrum, are accelerating their return preparations.

A KIA official explained, "Park Sang-jun received a re-examination at a hospital on the 12th. The result showed an improvement in his condition, and he began technical training on the 13th."

Regarding Oh Seon-woo, the official added, "His injury is not serious, so he is currently moving lightly and rehabilitating. We will decide on his return after a re-examination, but it does not seem like it will take as long as expected."

In addition, foreign hitter Castro has also started his return preparations. A KIA official stated, "He is participating in reserve team games, freely taking batting practice and preparing for his return. However, he is not yet at 100% condition for running. There are no issues with completing technical training. We will check his progress by playing in Futures League games and then decide whether to call him up to the first division."

KIA has recorded 34 wins, 1 draw, and 30 losses this season amid the rapid growth of its rookies, placing them alone in fourth place in the league. They are two games behind third-place Samsung Lions and four games behind first-place LG Twins, meaning there is ample potential to quickly move into the upper ranks depending on the results of future head-to-head matchups.

As injured players are expected to return one by one starting next week, the question remains: who will be the first to return? Furthermore, will KIA's return of injured players mark the turning point for them to break the current 'three-strong' system and surge further ahead? Expectations among KIA fans are rising.

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*This content was translated by AI.