Once again, they were on the brink of being haunted by injuries. However, everything turned out fine, and they breathed a sigh of relief.

On the 9th, Lotte tied 0-0 against the KIA Tigers in a preseason game held at Sajik Stadium in Busan. Starter Charlie Barnes pitched four scoreless innings, and another candidate for the starting rotation, Park Jin, delivered a perfect two innings. Furthermore, Jeong Cheol-won, Gu Seung-min, and Lee Min-seok showcased a scoreless relay.

However, from Lotte's perspective, the injuries that occurred during the game were inevitably concerning, more than the result. First of all, Lotte’s right fielder, Yun Dong-hee, who started as the second hitter, was substituted in the second inning after facing one at-bat in the first inning.

In the first inning with one out and nobody on base, he was hit in the shin by a foul ball. The pitch hit above his shin guard, and the area was not in good condition.

However, it was confirmed that it was not a serious injury. Lotte said, "He was hit above the shin guard during the first inning hitting, and he was substituted for player protection purposes. He will undergo icing, and there is nothing major wrong."

Then, again in the top of the 9th inning, another injury variable arose. Gu Seung-min, who took the mound, was hit in the inner left shin by a strong ground ball from Kim Gyu-sung. He was hit on the bone and could not stand for a while. Fortunately, Gu Seung-min walked back, and Lee Min-seok was substituted as the pitcher.

Fortunately, Gu Seung-min also has no major issues. The club explained, "It was confirmed as a bruise, and icing treatment will be administered. If there are no issues after icing, there will be no need for a separate hospital visit." They once again breathed a sigh of relief.

At the end of their spring camp, during the Miyazaki Guchun Tournament, key infielder Ko Seung-min sprained his left ankle and was unable to return to the team. He went directly to the Ijima Bone Clinic in Yokohama, Japan, which is known for rehabilitation, and returned home after receiving treatment until the 8th.

It was not a serious injury, and he could have continued rehabilitation in Korea, but the club proactively took measures to prevent any worsening of the injury. Considering that many players were injured last year, creating difficulties throughout the season, Lotte is dedicating full efforts to injury prevention this season.

Though the day passed without incident, Lotte had no choice but to be cautious even with a passing breeze.

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