The young player should have that flavor.

Lotte Giants infielder Lee Ho-jun (21) dominated the two-game series against Hanwha in Daejeon on July 2-3. After the starting shortstop Park Seung-wook struggled to find his hitting rhythm and was sent down to the minor leagues, opportunities were given to Jeon Min-jae and Han Tae-yang as starting shortstops, but they did not meet expectations. Then, Lee Ho-jun received his chance. He was not included in the opening day roster, but on June 28, he made it to the first team roster and received his first starting opportunity from the game against KT on June 30. His first game was 0 hits in 3 at-bats.

However, in the first game of the away series against Hanwha on July 2, he recorded 2 hits in 3 at-bats, 1 hit by pitch, 1 RBI, and 2 runs scored. He hit a triple to left center for his first hit and RBI of the season. After that, he added a hit to center field, completing a multi-hit game. On July 3, he set the stage for the first run with a double to right against Hanwha's ace Cody Ponsae, finishing with 2 hits in 3 at-bats, 1 walk, and 2 runs scored.

In particular, in the July 2 game, he reached base by getting hit by a pitch in the fourth inning, pumping his fist and cheering, a moment that caught the attention. Manager Kim Tae-hyung was pleased with this scene. He said, “Such gestures from the younger players can uplift the mood on the bench. Young players should have that flavor. They should play like young players.”

Before the July 4 game against Doosan, manager Kim Tae-hyung praised Lee Ho-jun. He said, “Smaller players tend to try to hit with a bigger swing. Lee Ho-jun had that tendency too, but he has discarded it. The same goes for his batting stance. Now, he seems to have improved by trying to make clean contact.”

However, Lee Ho-jun had a disappointing day that made Kim Tae-hyung's compliments feel hollow. Initially, he went silent at the plate, finishing 0 for 3. The problem was his defense. Manager Kim Tae-hyung first praised Lee Ho-jun's defensive skills, but on this day, his biggest strength faltered.

Once he wobbled, things fell apart uncontrollably. In the seventh inning, after one out, he failed to field a hard-hit ball by Choo Jae-hyun. It hit his glove and deflected into the outfield. It was a difficult play, so he couldn't be blamed. Eventually, the momentum shifted toward Doosan. He allowed Lee Yoo-chan a 2-RBI triple, and a baserunning interference by catcher Jung Bo-geun flipped the game to 3-5.

In the continued crisis with one out and runners on first and second, he caught a deep ball from Yang Eui-ji but mishandled it. This led to a poor throw that allowed the runner on second, Kang Seung-ho, to score, adding to the points conceded.

In the eighth inning, it was a challenging time for Lee Ho-jun. The confidence was already gone. He attempted to handle a deep grounder from Yang Seok-hwan at third without a backhand, but he mishandled the ball. This was not a play he would normally make. The frustration was evident. He later tracked down a ground ball from Park Gye-beom toward second base but lost his footing and fell. Although it was not officially a misplay, it was recorded as an infield hit.

Eventually, Lee Ho-jun could not finish the game and was replaced by Han Tae-yang, concluding the game from the bench. For this young player in his second year, the match against Doosan was a harsh day. He experienced a rollercoaster of emotions in just one day. The confident strides of Lee Ho-jun dulled. Now, the focus will be on how he will overcome this growing pain.

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