'Even Wang Yencheng is gone,' Park Jun-young, finally removed from the first division due to a back injury... Will he fill the starting rotation holes with Zimmermann, Bul Joon-young, and Lee Kyo-hun? [Jamsil On-site]

*This content was translated by AI.

A major setback has struck the Hanwha Eagles. With ace Wang Yencheng out, Park Jun-young (23) has also been removed from the starting rotation.

On the 20th, ahead of their visit to Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium for a game against the LG Twins in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League, the Hanwha organization removed Park Jun-young from the first division roster and recalled Lee Sang-gyu.

Park Jun-young made his starting appearance in a home game against the Samsung Lions held in Daejeon on the 18th, throwing 49 pitches over 2⅓ innings, recording one hit allowed, three walks/strikeouts, one strikeout, and one earned run.

In the top of the first inning with two outs, he allowed a walk and a hit but retired Choi Hyung-woo on a center field fly ball to finish the frame, and he also held the line scoreless in the second inning.

However, after retiring Kim Sung-yoon on a third baseman's grounder in the third inning, he threw three balls during Park Seung-gyu's at-bat and complained of back pain. The coaching staff ultimately handed the ball to Joo Hyun-sang and pulled him from the game.

He did not travel with the team to Jamsil. Manager Kim stated ahead of the LG game on the 19th, "(Large) Park Jun-young is getting some rest in Daejeon," and added, "It seems his condition will be clear after the game on the 20th when he returns."

It appears his back condition is not as mild as initially thought. Hanwha explained, "We decided to remove Park Jun-young (No. 96) from the roster today and register Lee Sang-gyu because we anticipate a slower recovery time for his back pain." Although he has not yet received a medical diagnosis at a hospital, it was judged that his back discomfort would last longer than expected.

A significant hole has opened in the starting rotation. Hanwha is navigating the season without its team leader in wins, Wang Yencheng (11 wins), who departed for Japan on the 15th after finishing a game against the KT Wiz to participate in the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. With the final match scheduled for the 27th, it is expected that he will be unable to pitch until September.

In September, Hanwha has structured its starting rotation with Owen White, Wang Yencheng, Ryu Hyun-jin, Park Jun-young, and Hwang Jun-seo. Park Jun-young had been providing significant support to the rotation's operation before his injury, having pitched five innings in two consecutive games, making his departure even more painful.

There are seven more games remaining in September. Ryu Hyun-jin is expected to take the mound for the Lotte Giants game on the 22nd, but a hole opens starting from the Lotte game on the 23rd. On the 25th and 26th against the NC Dinos, White and Hwang Jun-seo will start, and another replacement starter is needed for the Lotte Giants game on the 27th as well.

Zimmermann, who joined the team in July, started five games with dismal results before returning to the bullpen, or perhaps another Park Jun-young (24) could seize a chance to start again. Alternatively, starting resources could be recalled from the minor league. In this case, Lee Kyo-hun and Lee Ki-chang are among those who might get an opportunity.

Realistically, Hanwha's chances of advancing to the postseason have become difficult. With 15 games remaining, they sit in ninth place with a record of 54 wins, 71 losses, and 4 ties. Even if they win all remaining games, reaching a .500 winning percentage is impossible.

Nevertheless, they cannot give up on everything. Despite the disappointing results, they have already surpassed 1 million home spectators this year, and they must also consider the future beyond this season. As they weigh the team's long-term future while striving for smooth operations in the remaining games, Manager Kim Kyung-moon's concerns deepen.

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*This content was translated by AI.