'NC Good News Emerges': Kim Ju-won Returns as Starter After Fatigue; Bats as Leadoff Designated Hitter Instead of Shortstop; Ryu Jin-wook and Two Others Removed from Roster

*This content was translated by AI.

NC Dinos' "national team shortstop" Kim Ju-won (24) returned to the starting lineup after a day of rest. Having been excluded from the starting lineup for the previous game against Kiwoom Heroes on the 27th due to accumulated fatigue, Kim Ju-won made his return just one day later to lead off the team's batting order. However, he will not play at his usual position of shortstop but will instead start as the "leadoff designated hitter (DH)."

On the 28th, ahead of their home game against Kiwoom Heroes at Changwon NC Park in the "2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League," NC announced changes to its starting lineup and roster.

That day, facing Kiwoom's starter Wills, NC set its starting lineup as follows: Kim Ju-won (DH), Han Seok-hyun (center fielder), Park Min-woo (second baseman), Lee Woo-seong (left fielder), Park Geon-woo (right fielder), Kim Hwi-jip (third baseman), Kim Hyung-jun (catcher), and Kim Han-byul (shortstop). NC's starting pitcher will be Riley Thompson.

The most notable change is undoubtedly Kim Ju-won's return. After recording two stolen bases in the game on the 26th, Kim Ju-won experienced mild muscle tightness in the front of his left thigh. In response, NC manager Lee Ho-jun had previously explained his decision to exclude Kim from the starting lineup for the 27th game, stating, "We judged that his fatigue from playing full-time since last season had reached dangerous levels," and emphasized that "player protection is our top priority."

Fortunately, since the condition was only a minor symptom and not a serious injury, Kim Ju-won was back on the starting lineup just one day later. Manager Lee Ho-jun opted to use Kim as the "leadoff designated hitter" to reduce his defensive burden while maximizing his offensive contribution. This move is interpreted as a strategic calculation to prevent re-injury while assigning Kim the role of team leadoff hitter to seize early-game momentum.

To revitalize the team's atmosphere, NC also made significant roster adjustments on this day. Pitchers Son Ju-hwan and Ha Jun-young, and outfielder Han Seok-hyun were added to the first-division roster, while pitcher Ryu Jin-wook, infielder Oh Tae-yang, and outfielder Lee Jun-hyeok were removed. Notably, Ryu Jin-wook had appeared in relief during the 27th game against Kiwoom but was pulled after allowing two hits (including one home run) and one earned run without recording a single out.

With major roster reinforcements and Kim Ju-won moved up to the leadoff spot, attention now turns to whether NC can successfully turn the tide in the final game of their three-game weekend series.

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*This content was translated by AI.