Daegu:With the Samsung Lions entering the South Korean baseball postseason series without their top closer due to injury, manager Park Jin-man is turning to a breakout left-hander to handle save situations.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Lions are set to host the Kia Tigers in their best-of-five Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) postseason round at Daegu Samsung Lions Park. However, just before the series opener, the team announced that All-Star closer Kim Jae-yoon, who led the regular season with 35 saves, would miss up to two weeks due to an upper body injury.
Additionally, the Lions' postseason roster will not include two left-handed relievers, Lee Seung-hyun and Baek Jung-hyun. This leaves the team with Lee Seung-min as the sole left-handed option in the bullpen. Lee, who had a standout regular season, recorded career highs with 23 holds, 74 appearances, and 68 innings pitched, alongside a 2.65 ERA. Park expressed confidence in Lee, stating he would be deployed in crucial late-inning situations.
The team's lineup also faced adjustments, as outfielder Koo Ja-wook, the regular-season batting champion, is returning from a hamstring injury and will be limited to designated-hitting duties. This decision keeps veteran designated hitter Choi Hyoung-woo on the bench due to his defensive limitations. Park emphasized the importance of having Koo in the lineup and mentioned the potential for Choi to play in the outfield if necessary.