[Official] Another injury blow: KIA bullpen core drops out of APBC national team with thigh injury, a "massive setback"

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Gwak Do-gyu (22), the core left-handed reliever for the KIA Tigers, has ultimately been forced to step down from his national team duties due to an unexpected injury. With consecutive injuries among pitchers right before the tournament, the national team's roster planning is now in crisis.

The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) Power Enhancement Committee officially announced on the 5th that "Gwak Do-gyu will be unable to participate in the 2026 Asia Pro Baseball Championship (APBC) due to a left thigh injury."

This season, Gwak appeared in 44 regular-season games, recording a 2-2 record with 11 holds and 2 saves, along with an ERA of 2.81, serving as a reliable left-handed specialist and key member of the KIA's winning combination. Over 32 innings pitched, he allowed 29 hits (including 2 home runs), issued 14 walks, struck out 36 batters, and gave up 10 runs (10 earned). He also recorded 3 blown saves, with a Walks plus Hits per Inning Pitched (WHIP) of 1.34 and an opponent batting average against of .242.

In particular, on the postseason stage, where he faced the LG Twins and Samsung Lions in succession, Gwak took the mound at crucial moments, delivering dominant pitching to assert his presence.

Initially, Gwak was scheduled to join the training camp on the 6th alongside his KIA teammates who had been selected for the national team after completing their postseason schedules. However, due to a thigh injury that occurred immediately after the fall baseball season, he ultimately could not board the flight to Tokyo.

Injuries among national team pitchers are not new. The APBC national team, led by Manager Choi Won-ho, is facing a wave of pitching injuries just before the tournament opens.

On the 2nd, Doosan Bears' Choi Min-seok and NC Dinos' Shin Young-woo were both excluded from the roster due to right elbow injuries. Now, Gwak Do-gyu, who was expected to play a pivotal role as a core pillar of the bullpen, has also been ruled out. Of the 33rd players named in the call-up list announced last month, only 16 pitchers remain on the national team following Gwak's departure. The final roster will consist of 28 players.

The national team began its training camp at Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark on the 2nd to sharpen its teamwork. It will continue domestic training and exhibition games until the 8th before departing for Japan, the site of the decisive matches, on the 9th.

The 2026 APBC will be held at Tokyo Dome in Japan from November 12 to 15. South Korea will begin its preliminary round pool play with a match against Australia on the 12th, followed by games against Japan on the 13th and Taiwan on the 14th. The top two teams will advance to the final on the 15th to compete for the championship trophy.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original