The KIA Tigers, who fell to the bottom, have sought to refresh the mood by changing the batting order and the roster.
Manager Lee Beom-ho removed infielder Yoon Do-hyun and utility player Oh Seon-woo from the first-team roster ahead of the second game against the NC Dinos at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field on the 4th. Instead, he called up veteran Ko Jong-wook, who has been hitting actively in the second team, and infielder Park Sang-jun.
The batting order was also changed: Ko Jong-wook (designated hitter) Castro (left fielder) Kim Do-young (third baseman) Na Sung-beom (right fielder) Kim Sun-bin (second baseman) Han Jun-soo (catcher) Dale (shortstop) Park Sang-jun (first baseman) Kim Ho-ryeong (center fielder) made up the starting lineup.
Kim Ho-ryeong, who had been leading off since the season opener, was moved down to ninth, and Ko Jong-wook was promoted instead. Park Sang-jun will make his first-team debut as a first baseman. Yoon Do-hyun and Oh Seon-woo, who had been batting sixth and seventh, were sent to the second team after they failed to bolster the lineup with batting averages in the .100s. Yoon Do-hyun also had discomfort in the top of his foot and his right side, which was taken into consideration.
Ko Jong-wook is well known as a precise hitter with a career batting average of .302. He has served every year as a pinch-hitting specialist in the first team. This year he is hitting .393 in the Futures League. He is expected to add strength to a first-team lineup that has fallen into a slump.
Park Sang-jun is an unknown infielder. After Se-gwang High School and Gangneung Yeongdong University, he joined in 2022 as a development player. Immediately after his first promotion to the first team on the day, he will make his debut as the starting first baseman. Manager Lee Beom-ho took notice of him at last year's final camp and put him through intensive training as a first baseman. He showed monstrous hitting in the Futures team this year, hitting .436 with 3 home runs and 18 RBIs (1st) and an OPS of 1.186.
Manager Lee Beom-ho said, "He moves well at first base and has fighting spirit. He hits well and has punch. We couldn't take him to spring camp, but he's doing well in the Futures team. He's a kid with good grit, so of course I thought of using him. I hope he seizes the opportunity."
He added, "I used Jong-wook, who has hitting ability, in the leadoff spot. If Jong-wook hits well, the opportunity should go from leadoff to the heart of the order. Ho-ryeong is not in good condition in the leadoff spot. If he enters many plate appearances he may feel burdened. If his condition improves in the ninth spot, we can change him again," he explained.
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