Lotte catcher Yoo Kang-nam is back in the starting lineup after a three-game absence.
Lotte will play its third game of the season against Kiwoom at Gocheok SkyDome in Seoul on April 26.
Lotte will start Kim Min-seok (center field),먹튀검증 Ahn Kwon-soo (left field), Jeon Jun-woo (designated hitter), Ahn Chi-hong (first base), Ko Seung-min (right field), Noh Jin-hyuk (shortstop), Han Dong-hee (third base), Yoo Kang-nam (catcher), and Park Seung-wook (second base). The starting pitcher is Straily.
Yoo suffered an impact to his right knee in the fifth inning of the NC on Nov. 23 when he fell trying to avoid third baseman Han Dong-hee while trying to throw out Yoon Hyung-joon at third base on Kim Joo-won’s grounder to second base with the bases loaded.
He was removed from the game, and the next day, manager Sutton said, “It’s swollen and he’ll need a couple days off. We expect him to be 100 percent after two or three days off.” Yoo did not play in the game on the 24th and came in as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the eighth inning of the NC game on the 25th.
When asked about his condition before the game at the Gocheok Dome on the 26th, Yoo said, “I’m fine. No problem,” he said, signaling a quick recovery.
Yoo became a free agent last winter and signed a four-year, 8 billion won contract with Lotte. As of the 25th, he is batting .229 with one home run and 10 RBIs, but he contributes a lot to the team’s stable defense, including pitching leads. Lotte’s vulnerability at catcher, which has been a problem, has been eliminated.
Meanwhile, Kiwoom will start Kim Jun-wan (left fielder), Kim Hye-sung (second baseman), Lee Jung-hoo (center fielder), Russell (shortstop), Lee Won-seok (designated hitter), Lee Ji-young (catcher), Park Jun-tae (right fielder), Kim Hui-jip (third baseman), and Lim Ji-yeol (first baseman). The starting pitcher will be Hurado.