Three key players have simultaneously left for a week. The crisis of "Bomdae" has come earlier than expected.

Lotte completed all 8 games of its 9-game series during the golden holiday. While some teams faced rain cancellations, Lotte avoided this. With a record of 5 wins and 3 losses in the 8 games, they secured a .500 winning percentage in the 9-game series.

However, Lotte left deep scars during the 9-game series. There had been injuries early in the season, but they had been playing the season in full without significant injuries for about a month. However, in just one week, three key starting players have left.

On the 29th of last month, the headshot exit of "Bokdeong-i" Jeon Min-jae, who was the starting shortstop and was leading the batting average at the time (.387), marked the beginning. He was hit in the head by a 140 km fastball from Kiwoom's Yang Ji-yul. While there was no immediate skull fracture, no significant abnormalities were found in the cornea and retina, but a hemorrhage in the anterior chamber of the eye was discovered, necessitating a week of complete rest. Jeon Min-jae has been removed from the first-team roster following the headshot. There is a high possibility that he will continue to have trauma regarding high inside pitches. Before the shock of losing the starting shortstop had even faded, the foreign pitcher and leadoff went down simultaneously. Fourth-year foreign pitcher Charlie Barnes complained of discomfort in the back of his left shoulder after pitching against NC on the 4th. Initial examinations at the designated team hospital, Joonsam Hospital, indicated damage to the left shoulder subscapularis. He is scheduled for a cross-check at a hospital in Seoul on the 8th.

This injury news gives some context for the poor performance of Barnes, who had 3 wins and 4 losses with an earned run average of 5.32 over 8 games this year. However, even at his worst, Barnes had managed to log the minimum innings required, making his absence from the starting rotation unavoidable. Depending on the findings, Lotte is expected to struggle to find a solution for Barnes, whether temporary or permanent.

However, the most significant loss is the injury exit of leadoff and starting center fielder Hwang Seong-bin. He experienced pain in his left finger while attempting a head-first slide at first base after laying down a surprise bunt during the match against SSG on the 5th. Exam results indicated a fracture of the fourth metacarpal in his left hand. Manager Kim Tae-hyung also noted, "It seems like a serious injury," looking despondent. Hwang Seong-bin, who played a vital role as a leadoff hitter and recorded 10 stolen bases to lead the league in that category, has thus deprived Lotte of its source of vitality.

For now, the gaps left by infielders like Jeon Min-jae and Hwang Seong-bin can be somewhat filled. Lee Ho-jun, a second-year infielder who has stepped up as the starting shortstop in place of Jeon Min-jae, is blossoming in both offense and defense as he tightly fills the shortstop position. He's a player recognized for his defensive skills, and he has been performing decently at the plate as well. In the 7 games played since Jeon Min-jae’s exit, he has achieved a batting average of .318 (7 hits in 22 at-bats), 3 RBIs, 3 runs scored, and an OPS of .849.

Hwang Seong-bin's gap can also be filled by a similar style player, Jang Du-seong. Jang Du-seong has been performing beyond the level of a pinch hitter this year, boasting a batting average of .283 (13 hits in 46 at-bats), 7 RBIs, and an OPS of .631 over 33 games. While Yoon Dong-hee was sent down to the second team due to poor performance, Jang Du-seong managed to fill some of the gap, helping Lotte withstand the situation. While on-field activity may decline, a more stable defensive performance is expected.

However, the absence of Barnes is somewhat concerning. In the absence of precise findings, domestic players will need to fill in for about 2 to 3 games. Lim Min-seok, who was an emergency starter during the 9-game series, recorded 6 earned runs over 5 innings against SSG on the 5th but showed potential, remaining in the rotation. With the poor performance of the opening rotation's Kim Jin-wook, Park Jin is steadily stepping in as a substitute starter, meaning that the starting rotation must be maintained, including two pitchers categorized as Plan B.

The instability of the starting lineup could place additional strain on an already challenging bullpen. At this point, Lotte’s crisis may deepen. They currently maintain a record of 21 wins, 16 losses, and 1 draw, positioning them in 3rd place. Can "Bomdae" overcome the impact of losing 3 key players in succession? The vigor of spring is also gradually fading.

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