It’s hard to see a ‘complete’ Samsung. As the injured returned, another injury struck. Samsung suffered another power leak when star outfielder Koo Ja-rook (30) and infielder Kim Dong-jin (26) went down with hamstring injuries one after the other.
Samsung clinched the series with a 7-2 come-from-behind win over Hanwha in Daejeon on April 3. After Yoon Jung-bin, who came in as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning, hit his first career home run, a solo shot to tie the game, Samsung capped off a four-run big inning in the eighth with an RBI double by Koo Ja-rook and a two-run single by pinch-hitter Kim Tae-gun.
Samsung manager Park Jin-man couldn’t be happy about the two big hits that sealed the win. Koo Ja-rook and Kim Dong-jin were replaced by hamstring injuries during the game, and the decision was made to remove them from the four-day roster.
With the score tied at 2-2 in the top of the eighth inning, Koo Ja-rook hit a single up the middle off Hanwha closer Park Sang-won for the game-winning run, 먹튀검증 but he injured his right hamstring while fielding in the bottom of the inning. He went down while sprinting to catch a fly ball hit by Moon Hyun-bin into the right-field foul pole. Grabbing the back of his right thigh in pain, Koo was carried off the field on a stretcher.
A Samsung official said, “We suspect a micro-injury to his right hamstring. He is scheduled to undergo a medical examination in Daegu on June 5.” Last year, Koo also missed five weeks from June 15 to July 21 with a left hamstring injury.
Koo has played in all 49 games for the team this year, batting 29-for-54 (183 at-bats) with three home runs, 27 RBIs, 26 walks and an .834 OPS. The injury is especially disappointing as he was in the midst of a hot hitting streak, going 4-for-8 with three doubles and three RBIs against Hanwha on Feb. 2-3.
Before Koo, infielder Kim Dong-jin was replaced with the same right hamstring injury. After hitting a grounder to third base in the second inning, he felt pain while running to third base. He was replaced by center fielder An Ju-hyung in the third inning and, along with Koo, was placed on the four-day disabled list.
Kim Dong-jin has shown excellent contact ability, batting 3-for-5 with 11 RBIs in 31 at-bats in nine games since his call-up to the first team on May 25. He was also named to the starting lineup at third base against Hanwha on March 3, the same day that mainstay second baseman Kim Ji-chan returned from a hamstring injury. Park Jin-man said, “He has been making mistakes in defense, but he is a talented hitter. Our batting lineup is in a slump, so I used Kim Dong-jin as a starter to be aggressive,” Park said, showing faith in the player, but he left the game after just one at-bat with a sore hamstring.
Samsung has been dealing with a series of injuries on the field this season, both big and small. After losing catcher Kim Jae-sung (side), outfielder Kim Hyun-joon (fibula), and Kim Tae-hoon (ankle) to injuries before the season, the team lost Kim Dong-yeop and Kim Ji-chan to hamstring injuries after the opening day. With Kim Hyun-jun and Kim Dong-yeop returning to the first team in the middle of last month and Kim Ji-chan and Kim Jae-sung returning to the first team on the third day against Hanwha, the batting lineup finally seemed to be at full strength, but the departures of Koo Ja-rook and Kim Dong-jin created another emergency.
“As the season progresses, injured players return and new injuries occur. Injuries have a devastating effect not only on the player but also on the team. I hope you will take responsibility as a professional player and do your best to manage your physical condition.” He also sent an urgent message to the players.