How bad can it get?
The KIA Tigers have suffered another injury blow, this time to shortstop Park Chan-ho (28). Park lined out to center field with the bases loaded in the top of the fifth inning of the second game of a doubleheader against the KT Wiz at Katie Wiz Park in Suwon on April 4, with the team trailing 2-3. He was hit in the left wrist by a 138-kilometer pitch from Lee Sun-woo. In pain, Park walked to first base, but after stepping on the base, he hesitated again. After being checked by KIA trainers and coaches, Park remained on the field as if he was going to play, but was eventually pulled by manager Kim Jong-guk and replaced by pinch-hitter Oh Sun-woo. Park went straight to the hospital.
The results were shocking. “Park Chan-ho was diagnosed with a comminuted fracture of the left ulna as a result of an X-ray examination,” the KIA said. As a result, Park will travel to Seoul instead of Suwon KT on May 5 to undergo a second examination to determine the exact location of the injury and the rehabilitation period. If the initial examination proves to be a fracture, he will be unable to play the rest of the season.
Park Chan-ho has been KIA’s charge boss this season. He not only played shortstop, but also leadoff, where he excelled in the offense. Through four days, he is batting .452 (136 for 452) with three home runs, 52 RBIs, and an OPS of .734 in 130 regular-season games. In addition to his excellent defense and quick feet, he has shown great improvement in his batting, making him a candidate for the Golden Glove in the shortstop category this season. After injuring his left finger on a head-first slide to first base against the Samsung Lions in Daegu on March 12 and receiving a three-week diagnosis, he showed remarkable resilience, rejoining the squad within a week and working his way through the infield and outfield to improve his batting average. He regained his batting average in two games of a doubleheader against KT on April 4, but the result was a tearful one.토토사이트
If Park’s departure is confirmed, KIA will lose its third starter after Na Sung-beom (hamstring tear) and Choi Hyung-woo (collarbone fracture). KIA, which has had a power leak since the beginning of the season due to an injury to Na Sung-beom and Kim Do-young, hasn’t been able to operate at 100 percent capacity due to injuries both big and small throughout the season.
With Na returning at the end of the first half and two foreign pitchers during the All-Star break, the team seemed to have found its groove. However, KIA continued to struggle in the second half as the injury woes continued. Since the end of September, when the race for the top five with SSG Landers was compressed, the team has lost key batting resources Na Sung-beom and Choi Hyung-woo, followed by Park Chan-ho. For the second year in a row, KIA aimed to reach the Fall League and beyond, but it came at a steep price.