[Official] A bolt from the blue for Samsung! Closer Kim Jae-yoon effectively ruled out of playoffs: "Right rectus femoris injury → 2 weeks of rest required" — Major setback

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

With just one day left before the first game of the playoffs (PO), where the fate of autumn baseball hangs in the balance, a bolt from the blue struck the Samsung Lions. Kim Jae-yoon, the "guardian" who secured 35 saves this season to firmly lock down the back end of the lineup, was felled by a sudden injury, effectively ruling him out of the series.

The Samsung club officially announced on the 24th that a detailed MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) examination revealed damage to the muscle and fascia of Kim Jae-yoon's right rectus femoris.

According to the examination findings notified by the Samsung club, micro-hemorrhages were observed along the fascia, and the extent of the injury corresponds to "Grade 1." While avoiding a worst-case rupture, medical staff diagnosed that at least two weeks of absolute rest and recovery are necessary.

The rectus femoris is a critical area connecting the clavicle and scapula, providing strong rotational force and scapular stability during pitching. It is not a site where one can take the pitcher's mound with simple pain management, and given that at least two weeks of complete rest are unavoidable, it has become physically impossible for him to appear on the stage of this short-series playoffs.

Kim Jae-yoon's absence is a fatal blow to Samsung in itself. This season, Kim Jae-yoon appeared in 64 games, recording a 7-5 win-loss record, 35 saves, and an ERA of 3.22, serving as a reliable winning guarantee and a sturdy back-end closer for the Samsung pitching staff. They have lost their most certain closing card in the postseason, where razor-thin contests unfold.

Even more painful is the timing of the injury setback. With the fateful first playoff game set to begin at 2 p.m. on the 25th, a key player has dropped out of the front line just one day before the start of the opening match.

Facing a major setback one day before the decisive battle, the Samsung bench is expected to enter an emergency operational system by comprehensively restructuring the bullpen's winning roles to fill the void left by Kim Jae-yoon.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original