*This content was translated by AI.
After narrowly escaping a dangerous situation from a 156km fastball hit to his body the previous day (the 22nd), infielder Kim Do-young (23) has returned to the starting lineup as the third baseman, and KIA Tigers announced its starting lineup to avoid a two-game losing streak.
On the 23rd, ahead of their matchup against Kiwoom Heroes at Gocheok Sky Dome in Guro-gu, Seoul, for the '2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League', KIA released its starting lineup. After narrowly losing 1-3 on the 22nd and ending their six-game winning streak, KIA aims to turn the tide with a win today and pursue a winning series.
The most notable point is the inclusion of key hitter Kim Do-young in the starting lineup. On the previous day (the 22nd), Kim Do-young suffered a significant impact when Kiwoom's starter An Woo-jin's 156km fastball struck his left elbow in the top of the fourth inning with two outs. As a core player preparing to join the national team for the September Nagoya-Aichi Asian Games, it was a tense moment, but fortunately, thanks to his elbow brace, he avoided serious injury and completed the game. Kim Do-young will once again start today as the third batter and third baseman.
Today, KIA set its starting lineup as follows: Park Jae-hyun (left fielder), Kim Seon-bin (second baseman), Kim Do-young (third baseman), Castro (first baseman), Na Sung-beom (right fielder), Oh Sun-woo (designated hitter), Ha Joo-seok (shortstop), Kim Tae-gun (catcher), and Kim Ho-ryeong (center fielder).
In the batting order, veteran Kim Seon-bin has been moved up to hit second at second base, forming a table-setting duo with first batter Park Jae-hyun. Oh Sun-woo, known for his power hitting, will start as the designated hitter in the sixth spot, supporting the heart of the lineup. Na Sung-beom, who was the designated hitter the previous day, has returned to right field at fifth spot, while Castro takes over at first base. The bottom of the order (7th to 9th) remains unchanged with Ha Joo-seok (shortstop), Kim Tae-gun (catcher), and Kim Ho-ryeong (center fielder).
Ace pitcher James Nail will take the mound. Nail, who has recorded 9 wins and 5 losses with a 3.74 ERA in 23 games (134⅔ innings) this season, is now aiming for his 10th win of the year. Notably, he has been Kiwoom's nemesis, posting a 2-0 record with a 2.16 ERA over four games (25 innings). He also delivered a quality start in his last outing against Hanwha, pitching six innings and allowing two earned runs to secure the win, so another strong performance is expected.
With Kim Do-young having shaken off the frightening moment, alongside new batting combinations and 'Kiwoom Killer' Nail's outstanding performance, it remains to be seen whether KIA can secure a comeback victory at Gocheok.
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*This content was translated by AI.
