Gwangju:The LG Twins' starting second baseman, Shin Min-jae, is set to travel with the team for their upcoming Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) postseason series against the Kia Tigers, despite a recent hamstring injury. Shin was hurt during a squeeze play in the Twins' 4-1 victory over the Doosan Bears in the wild card game, where he experienced tightness in his left hamstring.
According to Yonhap News Agency, initial concerns about Shin's condition were alleviated after tests revealed no serious damage. As a precaution, Shin will focus on rest and recovery instead of training. He is expected to join the team in Gwangju on Friday, where the first two games of the best-of-five series will take place over the weekend.
The Twins, who are already dealing with several key injuries, would have faced another setback had Shin been sidelined. Their pitching lineup is missing closer Son Ju-young, setup man Kim Jin-sung, and swingman Song Seung-ki due to various injuries. On the field, veteran shortstop Oh Ji-hwan has also been out with a knee injury but was able to pinch-hit in their latest game.
Manager Youm Kyoung-youb is optimistic that Oh Ji-hwan might return to full health with the additional rest before the series with the Tigers. This could allow utility player Gu Bon-hyeok to shift positions and cover for Shin if necessary. If both Oh and Shin are unavailable, backup infielder Lee Young-bin is expected to step in.
On the pitching side, while Kim and Song are likely out for the season, there is hope that Son may return for the series against the Tigers. Youm expressed a willingness to include Son on the roster and monitor his progress, despite Son's current struggle with a herniated neck disk. In his absence, a closer-by-committee approach has been implemented.