Seoul: Kia Tigers manager Lee Bum-ho experienced a moment of panic on Wednesday night when star third baseman Kim Do-yeong went down in apparent pain during a game against the LG Twins at Jamsil Baseball Stadium.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim's attempt to make a diving catch on a powerful hit by LG Twins slugger Park Dong-won resulted in an awkward fall, leaving the team and its fans holding their breath. Kim, who has a history of injuries, was a key player in the 2024 season, earning the title of Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) regular-season MVP. Despite his achievements, he participated in only 30 games in 2025 due to multiple hamstring injuries.
Fortunately, Kim only sustained a minor bump to his back. Manager Lee has decided to rest Kim from field duties and utilize him as a designated hitter (DH) in Thursday's series finale against the Twins. Kim has started the season strong, boasting a .357 batting average, with one home run and three RBIs in four games.
Lee expressed his concern during a pregame media session at Jamsil, stating, "He wasn't getting up right away, and I was afraid he might have injured his shoulder. Things could have been a lot worse, and we could have lost him for at least 15 days. We were going to use him as DH for today anyway."
Last season, the Tigers faced numerous injuries, with Kim being one of several key players sidelined. In one incident, reliever Hwang Dong-ha missed over four months due to a car accident. "It's not just with Do-yeong. Whenever one of our guys goes down, my heart starts racing," Lee admitted with a wry smile.
Outfielder Na Sung-bum, another player who missed much of the 2025 season, has returned to full health and is performing well defensively. Lee is optimistic about Na's performance, stating, "I think he will start moving even better as the season progresses. He cares a lot about his defense. After about 20 games in the books, then I think we will see an even better version of him."
Ahead of Thursday's game, the Tigers also brought up veteran reliever Lee Tae-yang from the minors. The 35-year-old, previously with the Hanwha Eagles for 10 seasons, is set to make his debut with the Tigers. Lee expressed confidence in Lee Tae-yang's abilities, saying, "He's a professional. I know he's worked hard since spring training to try to prove himself here. We will ask him to cover a couple of innings at a time, especially when our starter gets pulled early."