'With' Kim Young-woong, suddenly registered for the first division ahead of the Jamsil LG game on the 23rd → Even starting as shortstop and batting seventh!

*This content was translated by AI.

Samsung Lions' key infielder Kim Young-woong (23) has finally returned to the first division. From his comeback game, he will not merely sit on the bench but will step onto the field from the start as the starting shortstop and batting seventh.

Samsung suddenly registered Kim Young-woong for the first division roster ahead of the away game against LG Twins at Seoul Jamsil Stadium on the 23rd in the '2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League'. This fills the vacancy created when infielder Kim Jae-sang was removed from the first division the previous day (the 22nd).

Kim Young-woong had been sidelined due to a hamstring injury and has been undergoing recovery procedures. His imminent return had already been anticipated. On the 21st, he started as the third batter and shortstop in an internal practice game, recording 1 hit in 4 at-bats with 2 strikeouts to check his final physical condition.

Although his batting statistics in the Futures League (batting average of 0.286 over 3 games) were not dazzling, the fact that there were no physical issues was truly welcome news. This is because he successfully completed the step-by-step real-game buildup process, starting with the designated hitter, then moving to third baseman, and finally shortstop, without any pain.

Samsung manager Park Jin-man also expressed his expectations when meeting with reporters recently, stating, "If there are no physical issues, he should be able to join the first division quickly," and "Once Kim Young-woong returns, we can manage Byung-woo Jeon's physical load and utilize him accordingly."

In particular, with Kim Young-woong's addition, Samsung has gained a massive force on both offense and defense. Not only can the physical load on existing infielders like Byung-woo Jeon, who have shouldered heavy burdens protecting the hot corner and the infield, be managed, but the weight of the lower batting order can also be lifted at once.

Meanwhile, Samsung set its starting lineup against LG's starting pitcher Jang Hyun-sik as follows: Kim Ji-chan (center fielder), Kim Sung-yuk (right fielder), Gu Ja-wook (designated hitter), Diaz (first baseman), Park Seung-kyu (left fielder), Byung-woo Jeon (third baseman), Kim Young-woong (shortstop), Kang Min-ho (catcher), and Ryu Ji-hyuk (second baseman).

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*This content was translated by AI.