Lotte Giants' Hwang Seong-bin was excluded from the starting lineup due to an injury sustained while attempting to steal a base. Koo Seung-min was removed from the first team roster.
Manager Kim Tae-hyung noted in an interview before the game against SSG Landers, which will be held at Incheon SSG Landers Field on the 27th, that "Hwang Seong-bin was removed because his hand is not good, not his shoulder. There is a risk of injury when fast players perform headfirst slides."
Lotte's starting lineup was composed of Yun Dong-hee (center fielder), Jeong Hoon (designated hitter), Na Seung-yeop (first baseman), Victor RAY (right fielder), Jeon Jun-woo (left fielder), Son Ho-young (third baseman), Park Seung-wook (shortstop), Jeon Min-jae (second baseman), and Jeong Bo-geun (catcher). The starting pitcher is Na Gyu-an.
Hwang Seong-bin was excluded from the starting roster after suffering a sprain to the outside of his left thumb during a stolen base attempt in the last game. Lotte stated that he is in a condition where he could appear as a substitute today. Following the exclusion of Koo Seung-min from the first team roster due to a sprain on the right side (internal oblique) on the 26th, Lotte will have two key hitters missing from the game.
Lotte removed Koo Seung-min from the first team roster that day and registered Na Gyu-an, who is set to start. Regarding the exclusion of Koo Seung-min from the first team roster, Kim Tae-hyung explained, "Koo Seung-min is not a pitcher who competes with control; he relies on power and uses breaking balls to retire batters. If he can't generate velocity, it becomes difficult to compete against batters."
Starting pitcher Na Gyu-an faced personal controversies from the start of the last season, and it was revealed that he attended a drinking party the day before his last start, leading to continuous gossip. He ended up with a disappointing record of 4 wins and 7 losses, and an earned run average of 8.51 over 26 games (73 innings). However, in the exhibition games, he showcased strong pitching with an earned run average of 3.12 over 2 games (8⅔ innings), and a strikeout rate of 12.46 per 9 innings, earning him another opportunity as the fifth starter.
"I don’t make any expectations. I just imagine giving up one run until the 7th inning," said Kim Tae-hyung with a smile. He added, "How many innings he can pitch is important. Giving up runs is unavoidable, but he shouldn't get rattled. It's crucial for him to maintain his pace without getting shaken. That way, we can have expectations for the next game too," as he urged Na Gyu-an to pitch steadily.
Lotte's batting lineup has only recorded 8 runs over 4 games, placing them tied for 9th in the league. Kim Tae-hyung noted, "The batting lineup was not good last year either. Dong-hee, Seung-yeop, and Seung-min were not performing well early on and got sent down to the second team, right? This year, they are still struggling to find their timing. They are not players of that level, yet they still lack career experience. Regardless of their skills, they lack the ability to read the game's flow and fight," expressing his disappointment.
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