*This content was translated by AI.
Hanwha Eagles' key contributor and Asia-quota player Wang Yencheng (25) will miss at least one start in the rotation due to pneumonia symptoms.
A Hanwha club official said on the 21st ahead of the game against Daejeon LG Twins, "Wang Yencheng was hospitalized today (21st) with pneumonia symptoms. He is expected to be discharged once his condition improves and will return after skipping one start in the rotation."
This is an emergency for Hanwha, which is already under immense pressure. Having fallen into a six-game losing streak, Hanwha sits at 8th place in the league with 48 wins, 3 draws, and 56 losses as of before today's game. They have been overtaken by Lotte Giants, who are also in 8th place without any wins against them, and trail the playoff-contending 5th-place Doosan Bears (57 wins, 4 draws, 49 losses) by eight games.
Wang Yencheng has been one of the most consistent starters alongside Owen White (27) this season, anchoring Hanwha's rotation. In 23 games, he recorded 10 wins and 5 losses with a 3.52 ERA, pitching 120⅓ innings and striking out 95 batters, effectively serving as the team's ace.
However, after allowing three earned runs over five innings in each of his last two starts, Hanwha struggled to break its losing streak. A club official stated, "Wang Yencheng visited a hospital this morning with cold-like symptoms. Additional tests revealed pneumonia, leading to his hospitalization."
In the meantime, right-handed pitcher Lee Hyung-beom (32) will fill Wang Yencheng's absence. Lee began the season with KIA Tigers but joined Hanwha on the 23rd in a one-for-one trade with Ha Ju-seok (32).
Before joining Hanwha, Lee posted a 3.00 ERA over 19 games. Since arriving at Hanwha, however, he has struggled significantly, allowing six earned runs in just 1⅔ innings across three games with a 21.6 ERA. After being sent down to the minor league, he has been working on his form in the Futures League, pitching two innings and allowing one run in two appearances.
Meanwhile, Hanwha has turned to Hwang Young-mok, known as an LG killer, as a key option to end their six-game losing streak. Since making his KBO 1st Division debut in 2024, Hwang has hit .377 against LG.
Today's Hanwha lineup featured Kim Tae-yeon (right fielder), Moon Hyun-bin (center fielder), Han Ji-yoon (left fielder), Kang Baek-ho (designated hitter), Noh Si-hwan (third baseman), Chae Eun-seong (first baseman), Heo In-seo (catcher), Hwang Young-mok (second baseman), and Sim Woo-jun (shortstop). The starting pitcher was Bruce Zimmerman.
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*This content was translated by AI.
