[Official Announcement] SSG's Choi Jeong, 'Finally' Out for the Season! Underwent Hip Surgery in the U.S. in August; "Six Months Required for Return"

*This content was translated by AI.

Choi Jeong (39), the franchise star and flagship hitter of SSG Landers, will end his 2026 season early after undergoing surgery due to a hip injury.

On the 24th afternoon, the SSG club officially announced: "After Choi Jeong underwent detailed examinations at specialized medical institutions both domestically and abroad, he was diagnosed with 'femoroacetabular impingement syndrome,' a condition causing pain due to protruding bone in the hip joint. Following discussions with the player and medical staff, we have decided to proceed with surgical treatment."

Previously, Choi Jeong was removed from the first-division roster on the 17th due to persistent pain in his left pelvic area. At that time, SSG manager Lee Seung-yong stated, "Detailed examination results for Choi Jeong are expected around this weekend. We have been actively investigating options in the U.S. and Japan, and a concrete plan will be formulated based on the results," expressing deep concern.

Until now, Choi Jeong has continued conservative treatment to alleviate pain, but his symptoms have not improved as expected. Following final recommendations from both his primary medical team and specialists indicating that surgery is necessary, the player and the club have comprehensively reviewed his long-term career and full recovery of game performance, ultimately deciding on surgery.

As a result, Choi Jeong has ended his season early. His final statistics for the 2026 season are: 71 games played, batting average .306 (255 at-bats, 78 hits), 20 home runs, 57 RBIs, and an OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 1.013. Fortunately, he has achieved the milestone of hitting 20 or more home runs for 11 consecutive seasons since 2016. This decision aims not at a rushed return but at fundamentally resolving his pain to proactively prepare for the 2027 season.

According to the club, Choi Jeong is scheduled to undergo surgery on August 11 in Colorado, U.S., with one of the world's leading specialists in this field. After approximately two weeks of initial rehabilitation at the location, he will return home. A full return to active play is expected to take about six months.

An SSG club official stated: "We will spare no effort to support Choi Jeong so that he can safely complete his surgery and rehabilitation process and return to the field in good health."

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*This content was translated by AI.