'Home run + 4 RBIs' Yang Seok-hwan left out; Manager Kim Won-hyeong: "Because the opponent is Ryu Hyun-jin..." 10 at-bats, no hits against a nemesis, waiting on the bench [Daejeon field]

*This content was translated by AI.

Though he regained confidence with his home run power after a long absence, Yang Seok-hwan (35, Doosan Bears) will start the game from the bench because his 'nemesis' is starting as the pitcher.

Yang Seok-hwan was excluded from the starting lineup ahead of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League away game against Hanwha Eagles at Daejeon Hanwha Life Park on the 8th.

Despite struggling severely this season, appearing in only 34 games with a batting average of.204 (22 hits in 108 at-bats), Yang Seok-hwan's exclusion seemed somewhat puzzling given his outstanding performance on the 6th against SSG Landers, which included a two-run home run and four RBIs.

Doosan desperately needs a hitter to deliver a big hit in the lineup. Having fallen into a five-game losing streak since September, Doosan was once trailing NC Dinos in sixth place by 3.5 games, managing only four runs during the losing streak. That means they failed to average even one run per game.

However, on the 6th against SSG Landers, they scored 16 runs with two home runs, securing a decisive victory. In particular, Yang Seok-hwan's home run, his first since March after about five months, added further significance to the win.

Nevertheless, Doosan excluded Yang Seok-hwan from the starting lineup that day. Doosan set its starting lineup as Park Chan-ho (shortstop), Park Ji-hoon (third baseman), Park Jun-soon (second baseman), Yang Ui-ji (designated hitter), Kim Min-seok (left fielder), Kang Seung-ho (first baseman), Jung Soobin (center fielder), Kim Ki-yeon (catcher), and Kim Daehun (right fielder). The starting pitcher was Choi Seung-yong.

Yang Seok-hwan's contribution was significant to the victory over SSG, where he went 2-for-4 with four RBIs in four at-bats. Manager Kim said, "He hit well that day (Yang) Seok-hwan," but also added sharply, "We did hit well too, but there were moments where we capitalized on chances because the opposing pitcher's control was unstable, leading to runs. Although we scored many runs, I don't think his batting feel has improved just because of that game."

The reason for Yang Seok-hwan's exclusion from the starting lineup was clear. Manager Kim explained, "It is not so much a matter of batting feel; he was kept out of the starting lineup in preparation for Ryu Hyun-jin."

Yang Seok-hwan has no record against Ryu Hyun-jin this season, but in their 11 career matchups, Yang managed only one walk with no hits in 10 at-bats. Given that Ryu Hyun-jin displayed such a strong presence that the term 'nemesis' for Yang Seok-hwan feels insufficient, he was kept on the bench as a pinch-hitting resource.

Ryu Hyun-jin has not secured ten consecutive wins recently. While there were some misfortunes, his ERA (7.31) in the second half of the season reflects a severe slump. Yang Seok-hwan is highly likely to come to bat as a pinch hitter after Ryu Hyun-jin is removed from the game.

The offense's performance remains crucial. This is especially true today since the starting pitcher is Choi Seung-yong, one of the five main starters. He has recorded zero wins and four losses in his last five games.

Manager Kim said, "Today is a new day, so it depends on how well the players can show their current form." He added, "Although (on the 6th) Seok-hwan's sacrifice hit and decisive three-run home run were very significant factors in our victory, the fact that we scored many runs later should not be seen as a positive signal. I think we are simply satisfied with breaking the losing streak, but we need to watch the batting performance a bit more."

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.