'Finally, he has arrived' Samsung unveils starting lineup for Austin Boss's KBO debut; all three excluded veterans return [Jamsil on-site]

*This content was translated by AI.

All three veterans who were excluded from the starting lineup the previous day (the 25th) have returned to the starting lineup.

Samsung will face the Doosan Bears in an away regular-season game of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium on the afternoon of the 26th at 6 p.m.

After a decisive 15-4 victory on the 24th, Samsung has secured three consecutive wins and confirmed its winning streak. With 57 wins, two draws, and 34 losses, Samsung firmly holds sole possession of first place in the league. This marks seven consecutive winning series. Today, Samsung aims to sweep the series.

Today, Samsung set its starting lineup as follows: Kim Ji-chan (center fielder), Kim Sung-yoon (right fielder), Koo Ja-wook (left fielder), Choi Hyung-woo (designated hitter), Diaz (first baseman), Ryu Ji-hyuk (second baseman), Lee Jae-hyun (shortstop), Kim Young-woong (third baseman), and Kang Min-ho (catcher). This lineup essentially consists of regular starters. The starting pitcher for today's game is Austin Boss, making his KBO debut.

Compared to the previous day, Choi Hyung-woo returned to the designated hitter position. In left field, where Kim Heon-gon was absent, Koo Ja-wook took over. At catcher, Kang Min-ho replaced Kim Do-hwan. The starting second baseman also changed from the previous day's Shim Jae-hoon to Ryu Ji-hyuk.

Meanwhile, Samsung recently signed veteran Austin Boss as a replacement foreign pitcher after he gained experience in both Major League Baseball (MLB) and Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). The contract spans six weeks with a total value of $150,000 (approximately 220 million won).

Boss arrived in Korea on the 19th and completed bullpen sessions at Daegu Samsung Lions Park on the 23rd. According to club officials, he threw a total of 24 pitches that day. His fastest fastball reached 148 km/h, with an average velocity of 144 km/h. He also mixed in two-seam fastballs, curves, changeups, sweepers, and cutters to assess his condition.

Boss boasts an impressive career record. In MLB, he appeared in 210 games (39 as a starter), recording 17 wins, 20 losses, 27 holds, an ERA of 4.84, and 346 strikeouts.

Additionally, Boss already has experience playing baseball in Asia. Last season, he served as a full-time starter in the Chiba Lotte Marines' rotation in NPB. In 22 appearances over 125 innings, he posted a record of 3 wins and 9 losses with an ERA of 3.96. Although his win total was low due to unfavorable luck, he demonstrated his ability to adapt to Asian baseball by maintaining a sub-4.00 ERA and a WHIP of 1.25 against the demanding Japanese hitters.

Meanwhile, Doosan set its batting order as follows: Park Chan-ho (shortstop), Severino (first baseman), Park Jun-soon (second baseman), Yang Eui-ji (designated hitter), Kim Min-seok (left fielder), Ahn Jae-seok (third baseman), Kim Daehun (right fielder), Jung Soobin (center fielder), and Yoon Joon-ho (catcher).

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*This content was translated by AI.