With the start of the new season just over a week away, several teams in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) have been decimated by injuries to key players.
The defending champions SSG Landers and the Doosan Bears have both lost foreign starters to injuries suffered during spring training.
For the Landers, left-hander Enny Romero has been sidelined since experiencing shoulder pain in a scrimmage on March 6. Given his history of shoulder problems, the Landers are being careful with the first-year KBO pitcher from the Dominican Republic. It appears unlikely Romero will be on the Opening Day roster for April 1.
The Landers have also lost outfielder Ha Jae-hoon to a broken left shoulder.
The Bears will be without right-hander Dylan File, who took a comebacker to the head during a live batting practice session in Australia at the end of February.
On March 14, the Bears announced that File would need at least four weeks of rest, which ruled him out of the opening weekend.
The Bears' Seoul rivals, LG Twins, have lost closer Go Woo-suk for at least a couple of weeks due to shoulder inflammation.
Go first complained of pain around the back of his neck during an exhibition game ahead of the World Baseball Classic (WBC) in Osaka on March 6. The right-hander, who led the KBO with 42 saves last year, did not pitch in any of South Korea's four games at the tournament in Tokyo.
Based on preliminary tests in Japan, the KBO had said Go was dealing with some muscle aches. However, further examinations in Seoul revealed inflammation, and Go will be sidelined at the start of the new season.
The KT Wiz's bullpen has been hit even harder, as they will be without two of their top relievers for the early portion of the new campaign.
Right-hander Ju Kwon, who pitched for his native China at the WBC this month, is dealing with right forearm problems. Though he will not need surgery, Ju will be sidelined for at least two months.
The 27-year-old has been a workhorse for the Wiz. He pitched to a 3.91 ERA and 15 holds in 58 appearances last year.
Another KT reliever, Kim Min-su, will also miss two months with right shoulder problems. He was one of the KBO's most effective setup men in 2022, with a 1.90 ERA and 30 holds in 76 games covering 80 2/3 innings. Kim led all full-time relievers in innings pitched and ranked second in appearances last year.
Elsewhere in the KBO, the Samsung Lions will be without outfielder Kim Hyeon-joon for about three months after the 20-year-old broke his right wrist during a preseason game on Sunday.
Kim had a breakout campaign in 2022, setting career highs across the board with a .275 average, 57 runs scored and 19 doubles in 118 games.
Source: Yonhap News Agency