Last year, Kim Do-young, an infielder for the professional baseball Kia Tigers who sparked the 'Doni-sal (Do-young, you must live)' craze, has shaken off a left hamstring injury and is finally entering the competitive mode.

Kia will play a doubleheader against the Samsung Lions in the Futures League at Hampyeong-Kia Challengers Field on the 23rd. Kim Do-young is set to make his first appearance in a Futures game since his injury to sharpen his competitive instincts.

After being selected first in the Kia draft in 2022 and starting his professional career, Kim Do-young completed a career-high season last year. He appeared in 141 games with a batting average of .347 (189 hits in 544 at-bats), 38 home runs, 109 RBIs, 143 runs, 40 stolen bases, and an OPS of 1.067, demonstrating outstanding performance. The regular season MVP and the institutional sector Golden Glove belonged to Kim Do-young.

Kim Do-young injured his left hamstring during the regular season opener against the NC Dinos on the 22nd of last month. He sustained the injury while trying to return to first base after hitting a single to left field with one out in the third inning.

On the 21st, Kim Do-young underwent an ultrasound examination at Seonhan Hospital and received a recommendation that he could resume normal training. Accordingly, he is scheduled to complete skill training on the 22nd, play in a Futures game on the 23rd (against Hampyeong Samsung), and do live batting on the 24th before waiting for a call-up to the first team.

After the game against Samsung in Daegu on the 22nd was postponed due to rain, Manager Lee Beom-ho met with reporters and noted Kim Do-young’s current condition: 'He says he’s okay now. He has been doing a little bit of exercise (within a range that doesn’t strain the injury) over the past few days. It’s a relief that he can play in the Futures game from tomorrow. I plan to take it easy on him at first if he moves up to the first team.'

Manager Lee Beom-ho also emphasized, 'He must be eager to return quickly. Observing the team struggle must weigh on him, and his seniors have been looking for him asking, 'What are you doing?'' He added, 'The other players have held up well in Kim Do-young's absence, so now that he’s back, we need to win a lot of games.'

Manager Lee Beom-ho further stated, 'Even if Kim Do-young returns, I don’t plan to use him as a starting member right away. Playing in front of fans can lead to overexertion due to eagerness. In the first one or two games after his return, I plan to use him as a pinch hitter rather than as a starter, and then have him participate in fielding.'

Where will Kim Do-young be placed in the batting order after returning to the first team? Manager Lee Beom-ho said, 'I haven’t decided yet. I’m considering whether it would be better to place Kim Sun-bin in the second spot or to put Park Chan-ho and Kim Do-young in the first and second spots and move Kim Sun-bin to the sixth. Since Patrick Wisdom has been hitting home runs well and getting on base a lot, placing Kim Sun-bin behind Wisdom might strengthen the lineup.'

He further added, 'If Kim Sun-bin goes in the second spot, I will place Kim Do-young in the third. If Kim Do-young bats second, I'll place Kim Sun-bin sixth, as I am considering both options.'

[OSEN]