[Official] Ouch, season-ending blow! "Underwent five-stitch suturing surgery," manager expresses deep regret

*This content was translated by AI.

This is heartbreaking news. Doosan Bears infielder Oh Myung-jin (25) is now effectively ruled out for the remainder of the first half of the season.

Doosan is scheduled to play a 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular-season home game against KIA Tigers at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium at 5 p.m. on the 27th.

Doosan secured a 3-2 victory over KIA in the first game of their three-game weekend series at Jamsil Baseball Stadium the previous day (26th). With this win, Doosan, which had won two of its three recent midweek games against Hanwha Eagles, achieved a three-game winning streak. They remain in fifth place in the league with 37 wins, two draws, and 37 losses.

However, they have now faced a major injury setback.

The incident occurred in the bottom of the second inning when Doosan was leading 1-0. During KIA's offensive turn, with two outs and no runners on base, KIA's Han Jun-soo hit a ground ball. Second baseman Park Jun-soon fielded the ball but his throw to first base veered slightly off target.

Oh Myung-jin, turning his body and extending his arm fully, managed to catch the ball, but in the process, he collided heavily with the batter-runner, Han Jun-soo.

Both Oh Myung-jin and Han Jun-soo collapsed to the ground, expressing pain. Fortunately, both players were able to get up on their own and made their way back to their respective dugouts.

At the time, a Doosan official stated regarding Oh Myung-jin's condition: "He suffered a contusion and abrasion on the back of his right hand and was immediately transported to a hospital for treatment."

Had the injury not been serious, he would have remained at the stadium, likely applying ice and focusing on recovery.

Ultimately, it was not a minor injury. Ahead of the Jamsil Doosan game on the 27th, a Doosan official explained: "He underwent five-stitch suturing surgery on the back of his right hand. The stitches are scheduled to be removed in two weeks."

Given this, it is now difficult for him to appear in any remaining first-half games. For Doosan, the best scenario would be for him to return only after fully recovering, starting from the beginning of the second half of the season.

Doosan manager Kim Won-hyeong, the team's skipper, expressed his sincere feelings ahead of the day's game regarding Oh Myung-jin's injury: "He was just starting to get a feel for his hitting, and that's disappointing. All I can say is that since his hitting touch hasn't disappeared, he should not worry and focus on treating his injury."

Doosan removed Oh Myung-jin from the first-team roster and called up Park Seong-jae. Park Seong-jae will immediately start at first base.

Doosan set their starting lineup in the following order: Jung Soobin (center fielder), Ryu Seung-min (right fielder), Park Jun-soon (second baseman), Yang Eui-ji (catcher), Kim Min-seok (right fielder), Kim In-tae (designated hitter), Ahn Jae-seok (third baseman), Park Seong-jae (first baseman), and Park Chan-ho (shortstop). The starting pitcher is Jacklog. KIA's starting pitcher is Shirakawa.

Notably, compared to the previous day, Kim In-tae is starting as the designated hitter. Meanwhile, Yang Eui-ji, who started as the designated hitter the previous day, will now wear the catcher's mask as the starting catcher.

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*This content was translated by AI.