Ryu Hyun-jin, who skipped his appearance on the 5th, is suddenly removed from the roster as the first half concludes! 'Struggling' Yoon Dong-hee and Na Seung-yeop also head to the minor league.

*This content was translated by AI.

With the first half of the 2026 KBO League season approaching its conclusion, major changes have occurred in the first-division rosters. Taking advantage of a Monday with no games, each team has mass-removed key players to reorganize their lineup and ensure rest.

According to the roster registration and removal status officially disclosed by the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) via its official website on the 6th—a day without games—15 players were excluded from the first-division rosters, while no new players were registered.

The most notable name is Hanwha Eagles' 'monster ace,' Ryu Hyun-jin. Following his decision to skip a scheduled start against the Jamsil LG Twins on the 5th, Ryu was suddenly removed from the first-division roster today, effectively ending his first-half campaign. On the 7th, Hanwha announced that Park Jun-young (24, jersey number 68) would take the mound as the starting pitcher instead of Ryu Hyun-jin. This move is interpreted as a management measure to prevent injury and manage physical condition. Along with Ryu, infielder Jung Min-kyu was also sent down to the minor league.

Young position players from Lotte Giants, who had been struggling with poor batting performance, faced a sudden wave of roster cuts. Outfielder Yoon Dong-hee and infielder Na Seung-yeop, whose recent form had declined, were simultaneously notified of their demotion to the minor league. Notably, Yoon Dong-hee was substituted out by outfielder Jang Doo-seok after just one inning during a match against KT Wiz on the 5th. It is reported that this was not due to injury; his performance at the plate is believed to have displeased Lotte manager Kim Tae-hyung. Na Seung-yeop, who has also been struggling with a batting average of 0.147 over his last 10 games, appears to be undergoing reorganization for similar reasons.

In addition to these players, Lotte removed a total of four players at once, including starting pitcher Park Se-woong and left-handed pitcher Jung Hyun-soo, who were key pillars of their rotation, as they embarked on a comprehensive roster overhaul to prepare for the second half.

Other teams also began cleaning up their rosters toward the end of the first half. Samsung Lions removed pitchers Choi Won-tae and Yang Chang-seop, while SSG Landers excluded Kim Geon-woo and Baek Seung-geon. LG Twins removed Lee Sang-young, KT Wiz removed foreign pitcher Souer, Doosan Bears removed Choi Min-seok, and Kiwoom Heroes removed Kim Yun-ha from their first-division rosters respectively. KIA Tigers and NC Dinos had no players removed on this day.

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*This content was translated by AI.