'Elbow struck by 149km/h fastball': AG national team member Lee Jae-hyun leaves Jamsil with a smile; today (7th) is the key day

*This content was translated by AI.

Lee Jae-hyun (23), a key infielder for the Samsung Lions and a member of the '2026 Nagoya·Aichi Asian Games Baseball National Team', collapsed after being hit by a pitch. Fortunately, he avoided the worst-case scenario and left the stadium with a bright expression, but both the national team and his club are on high alert.

On the 6th, Lee Jae-hyun started as the cleanup hitter and shortstop in the away game against LG Twins at Seoul Jamsil Stadium during the '2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League'.

The moment that sent everyone's hearts plummeting came when Samsung led 8-4 in the top of the 7th inning with one out and bases loaded. Facing reliever Woo Kang-hoon, Lee Jae-hyun had no time to swing at the first pitch. A fastball reaching 149 km/h sharply penetrated deep inside near his body, directly striking Lee Jae-hyun's left elbow.

Hit by the pitch, Lee Jae-hyun groaned in agony and collapsed onto the batter's box. The entire Jamsil Stadium held its breath, while coaches and teammates in the dugout stared at the field with grim expressions. Although the bases-loaded hit-by-pitch allowed third baseman Ryu Ji-hyuk to score, making it 9-4, there was no atmosphere of celebration. After a quick check by the trainer who rushed onto the field, Lee Jae-hyun was ruled out and immediately substituted for pinch runner Park Gye-beom as soon as he stepped on first base.

This season, Lee Jae-hyun has appeared in 70 regular-season games, recording a .232 batting average (49 hits in 211 at-bats), 15 home runs, 37 RBIs, 41 runs scored, and an OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 0.817, anchoring the team's lineup and center field defense. Although his batting average remains in the low .200s, he has demonstrated one-strike power by hitting 15 home runs through a balance of on-base percentage (.343) and slugging percentage (.474). Despite not reaching the minimum plate appearances due to injury, his destructive power as a shortstop who hit double-digit home runs earned him a spot on the Asian Games (AG) national team. This is why even Samsung team officials were unable to avoid feeling tense about this latest hit-by-pitch incident involving Gong E (CEO).

Shortly after the substitution, a Samsung official stated, "Lee Jae-hyun, who was hit by a pitch on his left elbow, will immediately undergo icing and his condition will be monitored." It has not yet been decided whether he will receive a detailed medical examination at a hospital.

However, after the game, Lee Jae-hyun parted ways with teammates with a bright expression, leaving Jamsil Stadium with relatively light steps. LG veterans Oh Ji-hwan (36) and Park Hae-min (36) personally visited Lee Jae-hyun to ask about his condition with concern, and 'Seoul High School' senior Moon Jeong-bin also came by to check on him. Fortunately, Samsung officials were able to breathe a sigh of relief seeing the smile on Lee Jae-hyun's face.

Nevertheless, it is too early to relax. Contusions from being hit directly by a fastball can sometimes cause pain and swelling to intensify after sleeping through the night rather than on the same day. Whether there are minor bone or ligament injuries can only be clearly determined once the swelling subsides. With a fierce battle for first place ahead and the national team camp approaching, this is why Samsung and the national team's attention is focused on Lee Jae-hyun's elbow condition when he wakes up today (the 7th).

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*This content was translated by AI.