[Official] 'Lightning strike' FA starting catcher removed from 1st division roster; hospital checkup results indicate "3-week rehabilitation outlook," confirming out for the first half

*This content was translated by AI.

KT Wiz, which has been showing strong performance consistently in the upper standings this season, has faced a setback. Leading up to the season, starting catcher Jang Sung-woo (36), who signed a free agent (FA) contract worth a total of 1.6 billion won, has been sidelined due to a fracture in the bone on the back of his hand.

KT is scheduled to play an away game against the Doosan Bears at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium on the 17th as part of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular season.

Ahead of today's game, KT made changes to its 1st division roster. The team removed Jang Sung-woo, a key asset, from the 1st division roster.

A KT official stated, "According to the detailed hospital checkup results, a fracture was found in the fifth metacarpal bone (the bone on the back of the left hand), and a 3-week rehabilitation plan was prescribed."

Jang Sung-woo started as the designated hitter in the fifth spot in the previous day's (16th) game against Jamsil Doosan. As the leadoff batter in the second inning, Jang reached base on a hit-by-pitch after a full count, when Doosan starting pitcher Choi Seung-yong's slider hit his hand on the eighth pitch. Jang, who then successfully executed base running plays, was replaced by pinch hitter Kim Min-hyeok in his second at-bat in the third inning.

Subsequently, Jang received the unexpected news from the hospital checkup. Instead of removing Jang Sung-woo, KT plans to call up So Hyoung-jun, who is scheduled to start on the 18th.

KT manager Lee Kang-cheol, the team's commander, expressed regret during an interview with reporters ahead of the game, stating, "The bone was completely fractured," and explained, "For now, it appears he will return after the All-Star break."

Jang Sung-woo has recorded the following statistics in 52 games this season: a batting average of 0.205 (33 hits in 161 at-bats), 8 home runs, 10 doubles, 35 RBIs, 28 runs scored, 1 stolen base (0 failed), 37 walks, 2 hit-by-pitches, 49 strikeouts, a slugging percentage of 0.416, an on-base percentage of 0.358, an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 0.774, a batting average with runners in scoring position of 0.266, and a pinch-hitting batting average of 0.143.

Meanwhile, on this day, KT named right-handed foreign pitcher Sauer as the starting pitcher. The batting order was set as follows: Choi Won-jun (right fielder), Kim Hyun-su (first baseman), Ahn Hyeon-min (designated hitter), Hiliard (center fielder), Kim Min-hyeok (left fielder), Heo Kyung-min (third baseman), Kim Sang-su (second baseman), Han Seung-taek (catcher), and Kwon Dong-jin (shortstop).

In response, Doosan started with Japanese pitcher Takada Takuto, who counts as an Asia quota player. The batting order was arranged as follows: Jo Su-hyeong (center fielder), Cameron (designated hitter), Kim Min-seok (left fielder), Yang Eui-ji (catcher), Oh Myung-jin (first baseman), Park Chan-ho (shortstop), Ryu Seung-min (right fielder), Ahn Jae-seok (third baseman), and Lee Yu-chan (second baseman).

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*This content was translated by AI.