"Rather than putting him in the lineup and then taking him out..." Coach Lee Kang-cheol announces substitute appearance for Hwang Jae-kyun, who has been on leave for 11 months [Suwon]

*This content was translated by AI.

KT Wiz "Championship Captain" Hwang Jae-kyun (39) has been given the opportunity to step onto the field one last time before home fans through a special entry for his retirement ceremony. Despite being in the midst of an intense race for first place, "mentor" Lee Kang-cheol (60), KT's manager, has willingly made way for him.

Coach Lee Kang-cheol stated ahead of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League home game against Lotte Giants at Suwon KT Wiz Park on the 13th that regarding Hwang Jae-kyun's participation, "I told him to do as he wishes."

Hwang Jae-kyun was registered for the special entry for retired players today. An official retirement ceremony, which had been postponed, will also take place after the game. Originally, KT planned to hold Hwang Jae-kyun's retirement ceremony during a home game against Lotte on the 8th of last month. However, due to record-breaking heatwaves that caused the KBO League schedule to be suspended, the retirement ceremony was also postponed. The team has now set today's weekend home game against Lotte, where Hwang Jae-kyun will meet again after spending a long time with them, as the new date for his retirement ceremony.

This is not merely an event; there is also a possibility of actual game participation. Ahead of the 2021 season, the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) introduced a special entry system allowing players holding retirement ceremonies to be included in the first division roster for that day only.

Hwang Jae-kyun conveyed his intention to "like to play once if there is time," considering the team's situation. Since KT currently leads by one game ahead of Samsung Lions, this means he does not want his retirement ceremony to affect the outcome of the match.

Although it has been 11 months since he last played a game, his body was firmer than ever before. This is because he had been preparing his physique for several months in anticipation of playing just one game. On this day, which marks his retirement ceremony, Hwang Jae-kyun arrived at the stadium early as he did during his playing days and trained with KT players, even participating in batting practice.

What is different is that he was not included in the starting lineup. Typically, retired players utilizing special entries are included in the starting lineup and removed immediately upon the start of the game. However, Coach Lee entrusted Hwang Jae-kyun with both his participation and timing. This is the same manager who, when Park Kyung-soo retired last year, sent him in as a defensive substitute in the top of the 9th inning and replaced him in the bottom of the 9th.

Coach Lee smiled and said, "I saw him batting; he was hitting the best." He added meaningfully, "I thought it would be better than putting him in and then taking him out. We don't know when we might need him. Still, based on my style, I would use him even if the score difference is just three runs. Didn't I send (Park) Kyung-soo in for defense? Just wait and see."

Hwang Jae-kyun is a special player not only for KT but also for Coach Lee. After donning the KT uniform in 2018, Hwang Jae-kyun consistently served as the team's starting third baseman. In particular, in 2021, he led the team as captain to secure KT's first-ever regular-season first place and Korean Series championship.

Coach Lee reflected, "He worked hard for seven years. It seems we were able to play baseball without worrying about the third baseman thanks to Hwang Jae-kyun." He continued, "He was always on the field and never complained about injuries unless he broke something. As a manager, I am truly grateful for that."

He further added, "He played baseball diligently and worked hard. Now it seems like he is becoming an entertainer, but I hope he continues to do well in the future. I wish him good health," offering his support for his student's new beginning.

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*This content was translated by AI.