The ‘Defending Champion’ LG Twins are facing concerns over a weakened lineup.
Over their last 10 games, they have posted a 5-5 record, a reality of Moon Bo-kyung’s absence. The manager stated, “An early-season injury is better than one in the second half.” He added, “We’ve been ahead in small details, and that’s the driving force behind consistently stacking wins.”
[Seoul Sports | Reporter Lee So-young] “I’m grateful to the baseball gods.”
Multiple teams have been plagued by injuries early this season, and the defending champion LG Twins are no exception, dealing with key players sidelined or struggling. Manager Yeom Kyung-yup (58) admitted, “If only we were struggling, it would be hard to stay in this position,” and added, “It’s better to have the injury early rather than in the crucial second half.”
On the 12th, LG lost 1-9 to Samsung in Jamsil, falling into a three-game losing streak. Starter Lim Chan-kyu allowed one run over 5.2 innings before exiting relatively early, while Jang Hyun-sik and Ham Deok-ju each gave up four runs. The offense managed just one run despite seven hits, showing a frustrating trend. Their record over the last 10 games is 5-5. After holding second place for a while, they have dropped one spot in the standings.
The problem is that concerns have become reality. The lineup has become thinner after cleanup hitter Moon Bo-kyung’s injury. Manager Yeom revealed plans to prioritize players with fewer strikeouts for the time being, noting, “Even if they can’t get hits, we need to use contact-oriented players who can drive in runs to score.” In practice, deploying Oh Ji-hwan and Cheon Seong-ho hasn’t yielded the expected results.
LG is deeply troubled by the need to fill the gap. Moon Bo-kyung, who twisted his ankle during the May 5 game against Doosan in Jamsil, was diagnosed with a left ankle ligament injury and is expected to need considerable time to return. An LG official at the time estimated, “It will take about 4-5 weeks.”
Manager Yeom also said, “I thought this year might go smoothly, but it looks like we’ll need until June to have a full-strength lineup.” He added, “It’s fortunate that this happened early rather than in the crucial second half.” He continued, “If there are any more injuries, we won’t be able to recover.”
The worst-case scenario was avoided. He explained, “It’s ‘only’ a month. If it were a 2-3 month injury, I would have been worried about how to cope. If it exceeds a month, we would have to change the system structurally, which would inevitably shake the team. So I’m relieved.”
That’s why he expressed gratitude to the ‘baseball gods.’ Manager Yeom said, “Considering the aftermath of the World Baseball Classic (WBC), I expected normal operations to be possible from May. However, since other teams are also struggling with injuries, we’ve managed to hold on better than expected.”
He added, “It’s a matter of luck, isn’t it? All teams have experienced similar injury woes, and we’ve also benefited from some good fortune. The remaining players are working hard to fill the gaps. It’s in these small details that we’ve been ahead, allowing us to steadily accumulate wins,” encouraging the squad.
