I dreamed of a June of promise. But it turned out to be a June of betrayal.
The never-ending injury woes. The Samsung Lions are in trouble again.
On a day when they were almost complete, they were dismantled again.
On the third day of the game against Hanwha in Daejeon, Guzauk went down after grabbing his right thigh while defending. He hoped it was a minor injury, but was diagnosed with a six-week anterior cruciate ligament injury. On July 5, the Samsung baseball team announced, “Guzauk was diagnosed with a right hamstring (back thigh muscle) injury, and was told that it will take about six weeks to rehabilitate.” It became difficult for him to return before the first half on July 13.
Koo, who started in right field against Hanwha in Daejeon on July 3, moved forward to catch Hanwha’s Moon Hyun-bin’s fly ball down the right foul line in the bottom of the eighth inning, grabbed his right thigh just before second baseman Kim Ji-chan made the catch and went down. After complaining of excruciating pain, Koo got up briefly but was unable to walk and was eventually taken off on a stretcher. Samsung removed Gu from the first team roster the next day, on April 4.
The three days he was injured coincided with the return of infielder Kim Ji-chan and catcher Kim Jae-sung. After struggling through the 스포츠토토 first half of the season with string injuries, the return of the two players seemed to finally complete the team.
But then, like a bolt from the blue, they were hit with another bad news: the long-term departure of 12 billion won center fielder Koo Ja-rook.
On the same day, infielder Kim Dong-jin, who pulled his hamstring, was also diagnosed with a 4-6 week rehabilitation after a medical examination. It’s not going to be easy for him to return in the first half.
Kim Dong-jin was also replaced by Ahn Joo-hyung on defense in the bottom of the third inning due to right hamstring pain while sprinting after hitting a grounder to third base in the second inning against Hanwha. While Kim was out with his hamstring, the youngster filled in well with his batting skills. It’s a shame because he was recognized for his batting ability enough to be placed in the center field.
As the batting lineup has been weakened once again, the team will now have to play defense.
The hope is that the C-C duo of pitchers Choi Chae-heung and Choi Ji-kwang, who will leave the team on the 12th, will join the team. Choi Chae-heung is expected to be used as the fifth starter who hasn’t been able to solve his problems. Ji-kwang Choi will provide a boost to the weak bullpen.
Choi has had a shaky start to the season, going 1-1 with a 6.27 ERA in four Futures League appearances. In his most recent start against KT on March 3, he was pulled early after giving up four runs on six hits in 2⅔ innings.
Choi has been on a roll out of the bullpen, allowing four hits, six walks, and five strikeouts in 8⅔ innings over 11 games.
