'Batting average vs. Lim Chan-kyu 0.538' Still excluded from starting lineup, "My confidence has dropped significantly now" — A cold and decisive judgment by Head Coach Lee [Jamsil On-site]

*This content was translated by AI.

Batting average 0.538. He was strong whenever he faced Lim Chan-kyu (LG Twins). Nevertheless, Lee Ho-jun (50), head coach of NC Dinos, made a cold and decisive judgment.

Seo Ho-cheol (30) was excluded from the starting lineup for the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League away game against LG Twins held at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Songpa-gu, Seoul, on the 26th.

NC constructed its starting lineup for the day as follows: Kim Ju-won (shortstop), Kwon Hee-dong (right fielder), Park Min-woo (second baseman), Blaine Crim (first baseman), Park Geon-woo (designated hitter), Lee Woo-seong (left fielder), Kim Hwi-jip (third baseman), Kim Hyung-jun (catcher), and Cheon Jae-hwan (center fielder). The starting pitcher was Gu Chang-mo.

Although he performed strongly against the opposing starting pitcher Lim Chan-kyu that day, posting a batting average of 0.538 (13 at-bats, 7 hits), 2 home runs, 6 RBIs, an on-base percentage of 0.538, a slugging percentage of 1.077, and an OPS (on-base + slugging) of 1.615, Head Coach Lee Ho-jun shook his head.

"That was when things were going well. I have kept him in the lineup consistently, even adjusting for left-handed pitchers, but now it seems he has lost a lot of confidence rather than being strong against any particular pitch," said the coach. "He hit into a double play yesterday as well, which makes me feel even more that way. In fact, it is not easy for Ho-cheol to enter the infield right now," he evaluated.

The previous day, Seo Ho-cheol entered the game in place of Blaine Crim ahead of the bottom of the 7th inning while his team led 2-0. He got a chance at bat in the top of the 9th inning. With one out and bases loaded in the top of the 9th, as NC trailed by one run and tied the game, Seo Ho-cheol stepped up to the plate with a 0-2 count. On the third pitch, he hit a grounder to the second baseman for a double play and was retired. Although he had a chance to win the game, the match eventually went into extra innings, and NC suffered a painful 4-5 comeback loss in the bottom of the 10th inning.

The coach said, "He is a left-handed pitcher, and I thought he might hit at least one outfield fly ball. He had been doing well with Team C. He even hit a home run and was 2-for-2 the day before yesterday. I had high expectations, so I confidently changed his position, but the results did not come out as hoped, which is disappointing."

Before the game, Head Coach Lee Ho-jun personally trained with Seo Ho-cheol. "We are trying everything," said Coach Lee. "It seems his eyes and bat were a bit far apart." He added, "He is diligent, but it is not working out as intended. Despite all his efforts, nothing is coming through. As a coach, it hurts to see players like that. He trains harder than anyone else, yet he still cannot perform well," he expressed regret.

Seo Ho-cheol, who joined NC Dinos after being selected in the second round of the 2019 rookie draft as the 87th overall pick, has established himself as a key player since 2023.

Last season, Seo Ho-cheol experienced a slight slump, but this season he fell into severe struggles. In 51 games, he posted a batting average of 0.208, an on-base percentage of 0.290, a slugging percentage of 0.285, and an OPS of 0.575. He suffered minor injuries and was sent to the minor league twice, but he has yet to find a clear solution. As one of the most diligent players, it is only natural that his situation weighs heavily on everyone's mind.

Recently in the Futures League, he recorded a batting average of 0.344 over 10 games, hitting two home runs. He was called up to the first division again on the 25th in line with the expanded roster rules. How he will seize future opportunities is crucial. Given his strong history against Lim Chan-kyu, it is expected that he will get another chance at bat if an opportunity arises today.

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*This content was translated by AI.