Kim Min-seok, the 'star of the blockbuster trade' who served as the leadoff from the opening match, has been excluded from the starting lineup.
The Doosan Bears are preparing for the third game of the season against the KT Wiz in the 2025 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League, which will be held on the 27th at Suwon KT Wiz Park.
After breaking a three-game losing streak with a victory the previous day, Manager Lee Seung-yeop has set the starting lineup against KT's left-handed starting pitcher Oh Won-seok with Lee Yoo-chan (second baseman), Kim Jae-hwan (left fielder), Kang Seung-ho (third baseman), Jake Cave (right fielder), Yang Eui-ji (designated hitter), Yang Seok-hwan (first baseman), Park Jun-young (shortstop), Jang Seung-hyun (catcher), and Jeong Soo-bin (center fielder).
Kim Min-seok, the star of the blockbuster trade, has been excluded from the starting lineup for the first time this season, and Yang Eui-ji has also removed his catcher’s mask for the first time in five games since the season began. In their place, Lee Yoo-chan will lead off, and Jang Seung-hyun will serve as the starting catcher. Another noteworthy change is Kim Jae-hwan's first assignment as left fielder after serving as a designated hitter since the start of the season.
Manager Lee Seung-yeop noted, "Depending on the type of pitcher, I will alternate between Lee Yoo-chan (right-handed hitter) and Oh Myung-jin (left-handed hitter). Kim Min-seok has been excluded due to a physical burden, and Kim Jae-hwan will play defense for the first time in a while." He continued, "Yang Eui-ji has started as the catcher for four consecutive games, so we placed him as a designated hitter. I formed the best lineup after considering various factors."
Regarding the decision to select Jang Seung-hyun as the starting catcher, he replied, "The battery coach said that (Jang) Seung-hyun is in good condition. I want to trust him once and give him a chance. In the case of Kim Ki-yeon, he could be used as a pinch hitter in important situations."
The starting pitcher for the day is Kim Yu-seong, the final winner of the fifth starter competition. Manager Lee Seung-yeop remarked, "There are no limits on the number of pitches today. He is a young player and has pitched a lot since camp, so I hope he shows his potential on the field. I hope he doesn’t show poor pitching." He added, "It's been a while since he has pitched with Jang Seung-hyun, and I hope he trusts his own pitching as well as the catchers and defenders. Yesterday, the defense couldn’t help the pitcher, but I believe they will do so today."
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