'Just a bruise, but Sugimoto needs two weeks of rest' — Even KT, which avoided the worst-case scenario, cannot smile... With Park Young-hyun also out, how can they close the 1.5-game gap to lead?

*This content was translated by AI.

The worst has been avoided. However, it is difficult to smile with relief. The KT Wiz, desperate to reclaim first place, have encountered an unexpected variable: an injury to Kouki Sugimoto (26), a key pitcher from the winning group ahead of the Asian Games break.

A KT club official told StarNews on the 7th, "Sugimoto has been diagnosed with a simple contusion on his right calf and requires two weeks of rest. Since it is just a bruise, we will monitor his recovery while he receives treatment and will not remove him from the first-division roster. He will continue to travel with the team."

It was a great relief that the injury did not escalate into something serious. On the 6th during the Gwangju KIA Tigers game, Sugimoto was hit in the right calf by a powerful hit from Kim Do-young in the bottom of the eighth inning. The ball bounced high in front of the pitcher and struck him directly, leaving him unable to stand for some time. It was a dizzying scene as he had to be supported by trainers to leave the mound.

After the game, he received ice treatment and walked off the field on his own. After undergoing detailed examinations upon arriving in Suwon, he was diagnosed with a simple contusion without any fractures or major damage. However, the diagnosis of "two weeks of rest" is not a light matter for KT.

As of the 7th game day, KT stands second with 69 wins, 3 draws, and 46 losses. The gap to first-place Samsung Lions (72 wins, 3 draws, 46 losses) is only 1.5 games. While losing all three games in their series against Gwangju KIA and falling into a three-game losing streak, KT also surrendered the top spot to Samsung.

The upcoming schedule is equally tight. Starting with Suwon SSG on the 8th, KT will face Daegu Samsung on the 9th, Lotte at Sajik Stadium on the 10th and 11th, KIA in Suwon on the 12th, and Lotte again in Suwon on the 13th. This is followed by two games against Daejeon Hanwha on the 15th and 16th, LG in Suwon on the 18th, and a two-game series against Doosan in Suwon on the 19th and 20th.

If Sugimoto is unable to pitch normally for about two weeks as diagnosed, he will inevitably miss around 11 games scheduled between the 8th and the 20th. Some of these games overlap with the period when players are called up for the Asian Games national team.

This is even more painful for KT. After the game concludes on the 14th, So Hyoung-jun (25) and Oh Won-seok (25), along with closer Park Young-hyun (23), will be selected for the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games national team. While having two starting pitchers absent is problematic, manager Lee Kang-cheol has already identified Park Young-hyun's absence as his biggest concern.

Sugimoto is precisely a key card in that bullpen. Having joined KT this season under the Asia quota, Sugimoto recorded 1 win, 2 losses, and 19 holds with an ERA of 5.71 across 63 games. Over 64⅔ innings, he struck out 65 batters. While his ERA shows some inconsistency, as demonstrated by his 63 appearances and 19 holds, he consistently took the mound in crucial moments to hold opponents at bay. He is also one of the few pitchers on KT capable of throwing pitches at speeds up to 150 km/h.

Especially if Park Young-hyun is out, the entire existing winning bullpen will have to shift back one spot. If Shin Dong-hyun (25) is moved to closer, another pitcher must fill the role Shin was handling. With Sugimoto also unable to be used normally, manager Lee Kang-cheol's options for bullpen management will shrink further. This is the same reasoning behind recently considering Woo Kyu-min (41) as a closer candidate. The roles of other bullpen resources, such as Jeon Yong-ju (26), will inevitably become more significant.

The fact that KT has not immediately removed Sugimoto from the first-division roster is a hopeful sign. Since it is a simple contusion rather than structural damage, this indicates they are keeping open the possibility of an earlier return depending on his recovery progress and intend for him to continue traveling with the team.

However, every day feels like a loss for KT right now. Having played 118 of the regular season's 144 games, only 26 remain. The gap to first-place Samsung is 1.5 games. Moreover, they are already scheduled to face Samsung directly on the 9th. How quickly Sugimoto recovers will determine whether KT can reclaim first place.

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*This content was translated by AI.