Is this finally the appearance the team wanted? It is still early in the season, so it might be hasty to evaluate, but Lotte Giants' catcher Yoo Kang-nam (33) has everyone smiling.

Yoo Kang-nam started on the 5th in the regular season game against Doosan Bears held at Sajik Stadium in Busan, appearing as the fifth catcher and achieving 3 at-bats, 1 home run, 1 run batted in, 1 walk, and 2 runs scored. He wore the catcher’s mask until the end of the game and led to a 6-1 victory.

On that day, Yoo Kang-nam demonstrated perfect performance as a catcher in leading pitchers and on defense. Collaborating with starter Park Se-woong, he led to a harmonious performance of 7 innings, 4 hits allowed, 1 walk, 9 strikeouts, and no earned runs. Afterward, he cooperated with younger pitchers like Park Jin, Jeong Hyeon-soo, and Jeong Cheol-won to secure the victory.

In the 2nd inning, with 2 outs and a runner on 1st, he prevented Yang Seok-hwan, who was attempting to steal 2nd base, with a precise throw, ending the inning.

Moreover, he hit a home run. In the 4th inning, Yoo Kang-nam, appearing as the lead-off batter, lifted a 141 km fastball on a 1-ball count for a solo home run that soared over the left-center field fence. This is his first home run of the season. The ball left the bat at a speed of 164.1 km with a launch angle of 29.1 degrees, perfectly fitting the definition of a 'well-hit ball.'

In the 5th inning as well, with 2 outs and a runner on 1st, he calmly drew a walk to extend the opportunity and scored when Kim Min-seong had a 2-run hit, paving the way for victory.

In fact, Yoo Kang-nam's batting sense has been decent recently. Although the team suffered a significant defeat of 3-15 in the previous game (4th), he recorded a double and a single for a multi-hit game. To date, his season stats show a batting average of .389 with 7 hits in 18 at-bats, 1 home run, 3 runs batted in, and an OPS of 1.167. Although he temporarily gave up the starting catcher position to Jeong Bo-geun, he ultimately reclaimed his primary role.

After the 2022 season ended, Yoo Kang-nam obtained free agent (FA) status and signed a large contract with Lotte for 8 billion won over 4 years. He is now entering his third season under that contract. His first year was tumultuous, and in his second year, he had knee surgery, resulting in an early season-ending injury. With Yoo Kang-nam's exit due to knee surgery in July last year, Lotte faced considerable difficulties with their catching situation in the second half of the season.

Ultimately, it is not an exaggeration to say that Yoo Kang-nam holds the key to Lotte this season. Yoo Kang-nam also worked hard to avoid repeating the pain of last year’s slump and injury. During the offseason rehabilitation process, he lost 13 kg, reporting to spring camp with a lighter body.

Manager Kim Tae-hyung emphasized during spring camp that Yoo Kang-nam is a key player this season. During the spring camp period in Tainan, Taiwan, Manager Kim stated, "The role of a veteran catcher is crucial as young pitchers grow," underscoring the importance of Yoo Kang-nam's role in achieving a generational change on the mound and stabilizing the team.

So far this season, Yoo Kang-nam has been healthy without any aftereffects from his knee surgery and is contributing on offense as well. The image of him smiling as he hit a home run carries much meaning. After the game, Manager Kim Tae-hyung noted, "I’m grateful that Yoo Kang-nam recorded his first home run and came through for us both as a catcher and as a batter."

Yoo Kang-nam stated about his role as a catcher on that day, "In terms of pitch selection, I knew Se-woong was throwing well today, and attacking with power led to effective pitching. The fact that we managed the game without allowing runs during the 7 innings was thanks to Se-woong's performance today."

Yoo Kang-nam, now in a mid-career position, must play a bridging role and lead the team. He emphasized, "The senior players are creating the team atmosphere. Along with my seniors, I will do my best, not just individually but also as a team, so we can head in a positive direction in the early part of the season."

이제 중고참 위치인 유강남이다. 가교 역할을 해야 하고 팀을 이끌어야 한다. 그는 “고참 형들이 팀 분위기를 만들어 주고 계신다. 형들과 함께 팀이 시즌 초반 좋은 방향으로 갈 수 있도록 개인적인 노력 뿐만 아니라 팀적으로도 최선을 다하겠다”고 힘주어 말했다.

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