*This content was translated by AI.
Just before the start of the match, a thunderbolt-like piece of bad news struck Samsung Lions, who are aiming to reclaim first place. Gu Ja-wook, the cornerstone of the team's lineup and its captain, complained of back pain during pre-game training and was consequently excluded from the starting lineup.
On the 12th, ahead of the season showdown against LG Twins at Daegu Samsung Lions Park, Samsung urgently revised and announced its starting lineup. Initially, Samsung unveiled a lineup consisting of Kim Ji-chan (center fielder), Ryu Ji-hyuk (second baseman), Gu Ja-wook (left fielder), Choi Hyung-woo (designated hitter), Diaz (first baseman), Kang Min-ho (catcher), Kim Sung-yoon (right fielder), Lee Jae-hyun (shortstop), and Kim Young-woong (third baseman).
The subsequently revised starting lineup is: Kim Ji-chan (center fielder), Lee Jae-hyun (shortstop), Choi Hyung-woo (designated hitter), Diaz (first baseman), Ryu Ji-hyuk (second baseman), Kang Min-ho (catcher), Kim Sung-yoon (right fielder), Kim Young-woong (third baseman), and Kim Heon-gon (left fielder). This lineup was re-announced with Gu Ja-wook excluded.
Samsung manager Park Jin-man's expression, seen in the dugout before the game, was filled with deep regret. When asked by StarNews about the sudden exclusion of Gu Ja-wook, Manager Park explained, "I just felt some back pain during training, so there was an urgent change to the lineup." Regarding the severity of the injury, he added, "It came on suddenly as an acute condition, so I need to check his body further. It won't be easy for him to play today's game, and we'll likely need to assess his condition again ahead of tomorrow's match."
Currently, Samsung is locked in a tight battle for second place with only a one-game winning percentage lead over first-place KT, with no games behind them. LG, which urgently needs to break its four-game losing streak and maintain third place, is being chased by fourth-place KIA by just 0.5 games, setting the stage for intense competition in every inning. Especially notable is that LG's starting pitcher Tollhurst has been a "formidable nemesis" this season, posting a 3-1 record with a 1.24 ERA in five games against Samsung.
Compared to the previous day's (11th) match against Daegu Kiwoom Heroes, the batting order saw some changes. With Gu Ja-wook, who had anchored the lineup, suddenly absent, shortstop Lee Jae-hyun was unexpectedly moved up to bat second. Veteran Choi Hyung-woo took over the No. 3 spot to anchor the lineup, Diaz batted fourth, and Ryu Ji-hyuk, who had batted seventh the previous day, moved up to fifth to support the cleanup hitters.
Changes also occurred in the lower part of the order. The veteran catcher Kang Min-ho, who had batted eighth the previous day, was bumped up to sixth. Right fielder Kim Sung-yoon replaced Park Seung-gyu and started at seventh. Third baseman Kim Young-woong, who had batted sixth the previous day, dropped to eighth. Kim Heon-gon filled the void left by Gu Ja-wook as the emergency No. 9 batter and left fielder.
Despite the fierce competition for first place, Manager Park Jin-man issued a warning to his players to avoid "overplaying." Manager Park stated, "We must proceed naturally and stick to our usual routines. If we try to do more just because the race for the standings is intense, we risk overplaying." He emphasized, "There are still about 20 games left, which is certainly not a small number. It's more important to finish the season with the mindset maintained since the beginning of the year than to suffer injuries by forcing things due to the standings battle."
Amid the sudden reshuffling of the lineup, Samsung faces the heavy task of tackling the "nemesis" Tollhurst. While LG's starting pitcher Tollhurst has recorded an 11-9 record with a 4.22 ERA in 24 games this season, he has specifically dominated Samsung, maintaining a formidable nemesis profile with a 3-1 record and a 1.24 ERA in five matchups against them. He also pitched six scoreless innings in the previous head-to-head match at Jamsil on the 5th.
<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>
*This content was translated by AI.
![[Official] 'Finally, the signing announcement' A strategic move toward the autumn baseball miracle: Signing of long-haired 152km/h fireballer Cleavinger, a pitcher with 60 MLB wins and an ERA in the 3rd-point range](https://image.starnewskorea.com/cdn-cgi/image/f=avif,w=1200,h=800,fit=cover,g=face/21/2026/09/2026091208584175776_1.jpg)
