"The lineup needs to step up." Kim Kyung-moon, grudge, "Attack Now" baseball, 20 home runs, no foreign investor... 4 consecutive starts excluded [Daejeon field]

*This content was translated by AI.

Hanwha Eagles manager Kim Kyung-moon (68) hoped the lineup would provide more support amid a shaky pitching mound. However, Yonatan Peraza (28) had no place in the "Attack Now" baseball strategy envisioned by manager Kim Kyung-moon.

On the 23rd, Hanwha announced its starting lineup for the home game against LG Twins at Daejeon Hanwha Life Eagles Park as part of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular season.

Hanwha's lineup that day 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), Lee Do-yoon (second baseman), and Park Jung-hyun (shortstop). The starting pitcher was right-handed Park Jun-young, born in 2003.

This lineup is identical to the one used on the previous day (the 22nd), which was canceled due to rain. Only the keystone combination changed from the game on the 21st; the batting order remained the same. This means Yonatan Peraza has been excluded for four consecutive games.

Peraza, who returned to Hanwha after two years, is currently batting.288 (111 hits in 386 at-bats) with 20 home runs and 65 RBIs in 107 games this season, posting an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 0.914. However, since the game against Daejeon KIA Tigers on the 20th, he has been excluded from the starting lineup for four consecutive games, including a rain-delayed match.

The reason lies in his dismal recent performance. Peraza struggled with a.232 batting average (16 hits in 69 at-bats) over 20 games in July, and his form has continued to decline in August, hitting just.143 (5 hits in 35 at-bats) across 11 games. His second-half performance totals only a.188 batting average (15 hits in 80 at-bats) over 25 games, offering little help to a team still clinging to hopes of finishing in the top five. Before the game, manager Kim Kyung-moon said, "The lineup needs to step up a bit. It would be even better if the pitchers hold strong, but we hope the batters can provide more support."

Naturally, Kim Tae-yeon (29), who has been hitting well recently, took Peraza's spot. In August, Kim recorded a.462 batting average (6 hits in 13 at-bats) with two home runs and five RBIs over nine games. During the game on the 21st, where Hanwha overturned a 0-9 deficit in the first three innings to win 15-11, Kim delivered a standout performance with two hits (including one home run), three RBIs, and two runs scored in five at-bats.

The only change was in the keystone combination: Hwang Young-mok (second baseman) and Sim Woo-jun (shortstop) were replaced by Lee Do-yoon (second baseman) and Park Jung-hyun (shortstop). Lee Do-yoon, a regular starter who had previously excelled against LG, returned to his position instead of Hwang Young-mok. Park Jung-hyun's inclusion in the starting lineup was due to Sim Woo-jun's injury. Manager Kim Kyung-moon explained, "(Sim) Woo-jun has been feeling some discomfort. That's why he was left out of yesterday's lineup, and since tomorrow is a day off, we decided to keep him out to ensure full recovery."

He continued, "I believe (Park) Jung-hyun likely participated in the most fungo or defensive drills recently. The defensive coaches have consistently trained him, so he should be ready for game action without major concerns. Jung-hyun also needs to gain more experience through games as he continues to work hard. We hope he builds strong confidence through these opportunities."

The starting pitcher remained the same. Park Jun-young has recorded one win with no losses and an ERA of 4.50 in 32 games this season, pitching 54 innings with 49 strikeouts. He was highly anticipated after being selected as the first overall pick in the second round of the 2022 KBO Rookie Draft and has recently been included in the rotation, developing as a starting pitcher over his last three appearances.

Had the previous day's game proceeded as scheduled, another top draft pick, Hwang Jun-seo (21), would have started that day. Hwang Jun-seo, a left-handed pitcher who joined the team after graduating from Jangchung High School as the first overall pick in the 2024 KBO Rookie Draft, has recorded one win and two losses with an ERA of 4.45 over 22 games this season, pitching 32⅓ innings with 36 strikeouts. However, as his scheduled start was delayed by a day, Hwang Jun-seo now waits behind Park Jun-young in long relief.

Despite this, manager Kim Kyung-moon expressed confidence: "(Hwang) Jun-seo is currently on standby for long relief, but if any issues arise among the starting pitchers, he will be the first choice to step in."

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*This content was translated by AI.