(ExSports News Busan, Korea) Bad news has struck the Hanwha Eagles’ mound as they look to escape the bottom of the standings. The team’s starting rotation has been hastily adjusted after losing right-hander Kim Min-woo to injury.
The Hanwha club announced on the 15th, “Kim Min-woo underwent an MRI examination at Sejong Sports Orthopedics in Seoul today. He was diagnosed with a partial tear of the deltoid muscle in his right shoulder and will join the rehabilitation group. He will be dedicated to rehabilitation for two to three months according to the opinion that he should minimize his movements until the pain is reduced.”
Kim Min-woo started against the Sajik Lotte Giants on April 14, but was replaced by Han Seung-ju at the start of the second inning. It was a puzzling move, as he was able to strike out all three batters he faced in the first inning.
Hanwha manager Choi Won-ho said the next day, “Kim Min-woo seems to have suffered a slight shoulder clench,” and hoped it wouldn’t lead to a major injury, but an MRI showed the opposite.
Kim has struggled this season, going 1-6 with a 6.97 ERA in 12 appearances, but he’s been a consistent starter for Hanwha over the past three years. Losing a proven starter for an extended period of time is bad news for Hanwha as they look to break out of the pack.
For now, Hanwha plans to fill Min-woo’s starting spot with fourth-year right-hander Han Seung-ju. Han took over the mound from Kim in the 14th game and pitched 3⅓ scoreless innings to earn his first professional win.
Choi expects Han to be able to work his way through the rotation without too much trouble, as he’s been a consistent starter in the Futures League. Kim Min-woo’s injury was a blow, but the question of a replacement was quickly resolved.
Han Seung-hyuk fills the void left by 토토사이트 veteran right-hander Jang Min-jae, who was removed from the first team roster on April 14 due to poor pitching. Pitching coach Lee Dae-jin, who worked with Han Seung-hyuk as a pitching coach at KIA, recommended a starting role for Han Seung-hyuk rather than the bullpen.
Choi said, “Coach Lee Dae-jin has watched Han Seung-hyuk for a long time. He heard that Han Seung-hyuk tends to feel overwhelmed in tough situations with runners on base, and we decided that it’s not easy for him to pitch out of the bullpen.” “We also considered calling up Nam Ji-min, who has been pitching in the second team, but he hasn’t been pitching well lately. If we call him up to the first team now and he doesn’t perform well, both the team and the player could be negatively affected.”