The Samsung Lions of professional baseball have welcomed back 'star leadoff' Kim Ji-chan (outfielder) in good health to the first team stage as he had hoped for. He is expected to be a great help in reviving the previously stagnant lineup.

Kim Ji-chan, who took a brief break due to a left hamstring injury, was registered to the first team roster ahead of the Lotte game in Daegu on the 20th. Batting first as the center fielder, Kim Ji-chan successfully drove in a run with an infield ground ball during a no-outs, two on, and three base chance in the third inning after getting on base with a single in his first at-bat. In the sixth inning, he walked after being hit by a pitch.

On the 22nd, during a rain-canceled game against KIA in Daegu, manager Park Jin-man met with reporters and remarked on Kim Ji-chan's return to the first team, saying, "After seeing him get a hit in the first at-bat and then steal second base, I thought, 'His physical condition must be back to normal.' He is a player who needs to play a significant role for our team going forward," adding, "I hope he can bring new energy to our stagnant lineup after returning in good health."

Kim Ji-chan said, "I watched all the TV broadcasts during my ten days away. Even though it was just ten days, it felt longer, like more than a month. I wanted to return to the first team as soon as possible to contribute to the team." He mentioned the saying, "You don't realize what you have until it’s gone."

The absence of 'leadoff' Kim Ji-chan, who is well-rounded in offense, defense, and base running, was felt even more acutely. He responded, "Thank you for seeing the good in me. I think I need to do my best on the field for that reason." What was the reaction from his teammates? Kim Ji-chan said, "(Ryu) Ji-hyuk and (Lee) Jae-hyun often told me to come back to the (first team) quickly, and I wanted to return as soon as possible too. Now that I'm back, I think it's crucial to avoid injuries. I'll always pay attention to injury management."

Even though he went directly to the first team without playing any Futures games, there were no worries about his game sense. Kim Ji-chan stated, "I didn't worry about that at all. I didn't experience any big difficulties as I had expected. I was disappointed that the team lost. We have many games left, and I think we must perform well without fail."

In his return game to the first team, Kim Ji-chan shook up the opposing infield with his trademark speed, saying, "If I am in the game, I think I must put everything I have into it. After getting a hit in my first at-bat in the first inning, I really wanted to steal a base. As long as there are no injuries, doing my best is the duty of a professional player, so I did my utmost."

Hurado has achieved quality starts in all six games this season and has an earned run average of 2.70. However, he has only secured one win. Despite pitching well, he has suffered three losses due to a lack of support from the lineup. On the 20th, he pitched well with three runs allowed in six innings against Lotte but finished with no decision.

In response, Kim Ji-chan said, "It seems that whenever Hurado pitches, things don't go well. In the game on the 20th, we had a chance with runners on first and second with no outs in the first inning, but it was disappointing that we couldn’t score." He added, "Hurado told me, 'I hope you can support me with runs when I pitch on Sunday,' and I feel very sorry that I couldn't keep that promise." Kim Ji-chan promised, "Since there are many games left, our position players will do their best for Hurado as well as the other pitchers in every game."

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