KT's Kwon Dong-jin, "struck in the eye and collapsed," confirmed to have anterior ocular hemorrhage, but fortunately no emergency surgery needed... "Re-examination at Suwon Ajou University Hospital today (the 9th)"

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

It was a great relief. The initial examination results for KT Wiz infielder Kwon Dong-jin (28), who collapsed after being hit in the eye by a ball during the final game of the Korea Series, have been released. Fortunately, it has been confirmed that he is not in a condition requiring immediate emergency surgery.

A KT club official told StarNews on the 9th, "Player Kwon Dong-jin was hit in his right eye by a ball yesterday (the 8th) and underwent a hospital examination. The results showed blood pooling in the front of the eye, and the opinion is that emergency surgery is not immediately required. He is scheduled to move to Ajou University Hospital today (the 9th) for further treatment."

Kwon Dong-jin started as the ninth hitter and shortstop in the fifth game of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO Korea Series against the Samsung Lions, held on the 8th at Daegu Samsung Lions Park. The incident occurred in the bottom of the eighth inning when KT was trailing significantly by a score of 1-11. As Kwon Dong-jin attempted to handle a strong ground ball hit by Samsung's Kim Young-woong (23), the ball popped up in an unexpected direction, striking his right eye directly.

Kwon Dong-jin collapsed on the spot and was unable to get up for a long time. The game was immediately suspended, and the players requested an ambulance. Kwon Dong-jin was eventually carried off the field on a stretcher without being able to stand on his own and was promptly transported to a nearby hospital.

A touching scene also unfolded in the stands at the time. Even Samsung fans, who were on the verge of winning their first championship in 12 years, temporarily set aside their joy of victory to worry about the injury of an opposing player. As Kwon Dong-jin was taken away by ambulance, both Samsung home fans and KT visiting fans chanted "Kwon Dong-jin! Kwon Dong-jin!" together, wishing for his speedy recovery.

Kwon Dong-jin made his first appearance on the Korea Series starting lineup that day. He had been strong against Samsung starter Won Tae-in (26) during the regular season, posting a batting average of 0.429 with three hits in seven at-bats. In the top of the third inning, he hit a single to left field, laying the groundwork for the first run, and recorded his second hit with a single to center field in the top of the fifth inning.

However, in the bottom of the fifth inning, a defensive error provided an opportunity for a large number of runs to be scored, and he ultimately suffered an unexpected injury. KT also lost 1-12, finishing the series with a record of one win and four losses, leaving them as runners-up and leaving a sense of regret.

There have been similar cases in the past KBO League where players recovered from such injuries. Lotte Giants' Na Seung-yeop (24) was hit in the right eye by a ball during a defensive drill with the Futures team on June 5 last year, resulting in intraocular hemorrhage. He was immediately admitted to Dong-A University Hospital and underwent a detailed ophthalmic examination the following day.

Fortunately, the Lotte club announced at the time that while swelling and bleeding remained, there were no particular abnormalities found in the eye. Na Seung-yeop rested for about a week while monitoring his condition before returning to the first division on June 24. After his return, on June 26, he hit a walk-off three-run home run against the NC Dinos as a pinch hitter, demonstrating that he had shaken off the injury.

Even if the injured area is similar, the extent of damage and the recovery process can vary from player to player, but KT was able to breathe a sigh of relief given that it did not reach a situation requiring emergency surgery. Since Kwon Dong-jin still has bleeding in the front of the eye, it is expected that accurate assessment of his condition and future treatment direction will be possible only after confirming the results of the additional examination to be conducted at Ajou University Hospital on the 9th.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original