Daegu:With the Samsung Lions set to begin their postseason in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) this week, captain Koo Ja-wook has made a "miraculous recovery" from a hamstring injury he suffered on September 30. Koo expressed gratitude to his team's trainers for getting him back to a condition where he can serve as the designated hitter (DH) for the team.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Koo, who achieved his first career batting title this year with an impressive .371 average, is a key player for the Lions. He also performed well against their upcoming opponents, the Kia Tigers, in the regular season, achieving a .340 batting average with five doubles in 15 games.
Koo emphasized the importance of team success over individual performance, saying, "These postseason games are all about who wins in the end, not which individual players have good games." He was seen jogging lightly before the first game, which was postponed due to rain. At 33, Koo is cautious about risking further injury with aggressive base running.
Lions manager Park Jin-man humorously suggested that Koo could avoid running hard by hitting home runs. Koo, starting as DH, acknowledged the challenge but committed to doing his best in his role. The series against the Tigers is a rematch of the 2024 Korean Series, where the Lions were defeated in five games. However, Koo stated his focus is on executing the team's plans rather than seeking revenge.
Source Yonhap News Agency