*This content was translated by AI.
Just when things were urgent, another blow struck. After ace pitcher Wang Yencheng went on the injured list, captain Chae Eun-seong (36) is also sidelined due to injury.
Kim Kyung-moon (68), manager of the Hanwha Eagles, met with reporters ahead of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League away game against SSG Landers at Incheon SSG Landers Field on the 27th, stating, "I think he sustained a minor side injury during batting practice."
Changes were made to the starting lineup. Hanwha set its lineup for the day as Lee Won-seok (right fielder), Moon Hyun-bin (center fielder), Han Ji-yoon (left fielder), Kang Baek-ho (designated hitter), Noh Si-hwan (third baseman), Kim Tae-yeon (first baseman), Heo In-seo (catcher), Hwang Young-mok (second baseman), and Sim Woo-jun (shortstop). Kim Tae-yeon will take over at first base.
Manager Kim added, "He is currently out of the lineup for now, and we are monitoring the situation. It may become clear after some time passes, but I think we need to get a video."
Hanwha's captain Chae Eun-seong has posted a batting average of 0.292 this season, his highest since joining Hanwha in 2023, but injuries limited him to just 47 games played. He suffered a collarbone injury last May and was excluded from the first-team roster for 83 days.
Although he rejoined the first team on the 28th of last month, his absence is particularly painful given that he had been hitting with a .362 average (69 at-bats, 25 hits), four home runs, and eight RBIs.
Wang Yencheng, who joined under the Asia quota and achieved 10 wins (5 losses), is also unavailable. Having been hospitalized due to pneumonia, he may be able to pitch as early as the 29th, but even that remains uncertain. He has been traveling with the first-team squad since the 26th but has not yet taken any throws.
Manager Kim explained, "We are waiting until he says he is fully recovered," and added, "For now, Park Jun-young will likely start next, followed by Hwang Jun-seo."
Despite Owen White's scoreless outing over 5⅔ innings and Ryu Hyun-jin's solid six-inning performance allowing only one run, the team fell into a three-game losing streak due to a silent offense. The lineup must come alive. Manager Kim emphasized, "This shows our games are not going well enough. We need to figure out how to attack opposing pitchers. The weather has become cooler, the wind is blowing, and there isn't much of the season left — we must strive even harder in batting."
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*This content was translated by AI.
