Oh Ji-hwan (34), former KBO MVP of the LG Twins, is expected to return to the primary league even further. Still, the LG Twins was able to rise to the top spot without Oh Ji-hwan. This is because Koo Bon-hyuk (27) is an irreplaceable “super utility” resource. LG manager Yeom Kyung-yeop also showed his accolades.유흥알바
Ahead of the match against the KT Wiz at KT Wiz Park in Suwon on Tuesday, manager Yeom Kyung-yeop said, “Oh’s return is likely to be delayed. He still has wrist pain.”
Oh Ji-hwan was removed from the entry list for the first team ahead of the match against the SSG Landers on April 30. On May 29, a day before his cancellation, Oh complained of discomfort in his wrist while swinging at the batter’s box in the top of the fifth inning. In the end, he failed to complete the game that day and was replaced immediately ahead of defense.
The next day, Oh Ji-hwan was found to have an inflammation of his right wrist extension. “I will take rest for about 10 days,” an LG official said at the time, without nailing the timing of his return.
Oh Ji-hwan, who won the MVP of the Korean Series last season, has slowed down a bit this season. He played in 54 games, recording a batting average of 0.238 (40 hits in 168 times at bat), 16 doubles, one triple, two homers and 16 RBIs, 31 runs scored, 11 steals (three failures), 27 walks, two hits, 58 strikeouts, a slugging percentage of 0.381, on-base percentage of 0.350, and an OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) of 0.731 in total. His batting average for scoring goals was only 0.152.
“I think it will take more time. I heard he still has pain after starting the tee batting. That’s why I told him to rest more.” If Oh recovers as soon as possible, he will be able to register for the first team entry from the match against KT in Suwon on the 9th. However, it will take more time for him to return.
While Oh Ji-hwan was out of the lineup, LG’s Koo Bon-hyuk is filling in the gap well. Yeom spared no praise for Koo. ” (Former) Bon-hyuk is doing very well in defense. He is doing as well as (Oh) Ji-hwan. He has a wide range of defense and is very fast to pull the ball right out of his glove,” Yeom said. “That’s why I can connect better with a double play. The success of the double play is determined by a half-foot difference, and although it seems to be nothing, it is a huge part because the speed of the runner is on.”
Koo Bon-hyuk played in 56 games this season, marking a batting average of 0.292 (40 hits in 137 times at bat), seven doubles, two homers, 27 RBIs, 24 runs, two steals (2 failures), 16 walks, 14 strikeouts, a slugging percentage of 0.387, on-base percentage of 0.363, OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) 0.750, a scoring percentage of 0.378, and a pinch-hitter of 0.500.
Still, Yeom said, “With the current infield structure, it is not easy to use pinch-hitters or pinch-runners. If Oh Ji-hwan is present, Koo Bon-hyuk or Shin Min-jae can stay on the bench and use pinch-hitters or pinch-runner operations before releasing the funds, but they have failed to do so. If he is winning or losing by a large margin, he can replace him to ensure his physical stamina, but it is not easy in a close game,” hoping for Oh’s quick return.
Meanwhile, LG defeated KT 8-7 to rank No. 1 with 37 wins, 25 losses, and two draws (0.597 winning percentage). One of the key players in LG’s upward trajectory was Koo Bon-hyuk.