Hanwha’s top free agent, Chae Eun-sung (33), was given the day off due to injury. Lee Sung-gon (31), who was promoted from the second team, was called up to the first team and entered the starting lineup batting fourth.
Hanwha’s lineup against KIA on April 21 was Lee Jin-young (right fielder), Kim In-hwan (first baseman), Noh Si-hwan (third baseman), Lee Sung-gon (designated hitter), Moon Hyun-bin (center fielder), Choi Jae-hoon (catcher), Jang Jin-hyuk (left fielder), Lee Do-yoon (shortstop), and Jung Eun-won (second baseman).메이저놀이터
Center fielder Chae Eun-sung was left out of the lineup. He suffered a bruise on his left big toe after being hit by a foul ball in the seventh inning of the previous day’s game against KIA. After drawing a walk in a seven-pitch at-bat, Chae was replaced by pinch-hitter Kim Tae-yeon and limped off behind the dugout.
Chae, who signed a six-year, maximum $9 billion free agent contract with Hanwha last November, is batting 2-for-9 (72-for-244) with 10 home runs, 44 RBIs and an .830 OPS in 62 games this season. She is also 3-for-5 with runners in scoring position and has led the Hanwha center field lineup alongside Noh Si-hwan.
Except for missing two games against Samsung on Oct. 10-11 with a sore left thumb, Noh has been a regular in the starting lineup and led the Hanwha batting order, but the injury will give him a day off. Hanwha manager Choi Won-ho said, “He has an ingrown toenail and was hit on that side. It’s not bad enough to leave him out of the lineup, but it’s hard to pinch-hit today. We’ll have to see how she is tomorrow.”
Hanwha inserted left-handed hitter Lee Sung-gon in the fourth spot in the batting order without Chae Eun-sung. With outfielder Lee Won-seok demoted to the second team, Lee Sung-gon was added to the first team roster. It’s his 41st day back in the lineup after being removed from the first team on March 11. After batting just 1-for-8 in seven games in the first team (2-for-11), Lee has performed well in the Futures League, batting 2-for-8 in 37 games (36-for-127) with six home runs, 26 RBIs, and a .917 OPS.
He’s especially hot in his last 10 games, batting 3-for-4 with 12 doubles, four home runs and 11 RBIs in 35 at-bats. Choi Won-ho said, “If a player is in good hitting form in the Futures, he should be used as soon as he is promoted to the first team. If he goes out as a pinch-hitter once or twice, his hitting may cool down,” Choi said, adding that he expects the No. 4 hitter to improve.
