The Doosan Bears are facing a tumultuous time. Manager Lee Seung-yeop voluntarily resigned due to poor performance on the 2nd, and the coaching system led by acting manager Jo Sung-hwan began on the 3rd.
Doosan sent Yang Seok-hwan, Kang Seung-ho, and Jo Soo-haeng down to the 2nd team on the 3rd. The three players participated in the game against the 2025 Futures League SSG Landers at the 강화 SSG Future's Field on the 3rd. Yang Seok-hwan, who played in the Futures League for the first time in three years, went 0 for 4. Jo Soo-haeng recorded 1 hit, 1 walk, and 1 run scored in 3 at-bats. Kang Seung-ho recorded 1 hit and 1 RBI in 3 at-bats.
Jo Soo-haeng started as the 2nd right fielder, Kang Seung-ho as the 3rd second baseman, and Yang Seok-hwan as the 7th designated hitter. The starting pitcher for SSG was Park Jong-hoon.
In the 1st inning, leadoff hitter Choo Jae-hyun reached base on a hit by pitch, and Jo Soo-haeng hit a single to center field, creating a chance with no outs at 1st and 3rd base. Kang Seung-ho opened the scoring with a sacrifice fly to right field. Later, with two outs and a runner on 1st base, Jo Soo-haeng successfully stole 2nd base. Then, Jeon Da-min hit a timely single, scoring a run, and Doosan took a 2-0 lead.
Yang Seok-hwan came to bat in the 2nd inning, ahead 2-1, and was out on a flyout to left field. In the 3rd inning, trailing 2-3, leadoff hitter Jo Soo-haeng was out on a ground ball to 1st base, and Kang Seung-ho reached base with a single to left field. Hong Seong-ho hit a double to the right side, and after two outs, Jang Seung-hyun walked, creating a bases-loaded opportunity. Yang Seok-hwan failed to capitalize on the chance with a flyout to right field.
In the 4th inning, trailing 2-6 and with two outs, Choo Jae-hyun created a chance with a double to the right field line, but Jo Soo-haeng ended the inning with a flyout to center field. In the 5th inning, leadoff hitter Kang Seung-ho was out on a line drive to the 3rd baseman. In the 6th inning, significantly trailing at 2-11, Yang Seok-hwan struck out looking on a full count for the 7th pitch, with one out.
In the 7th inning, with one out and a runner on 1st base, Jo Soo-haeng drew a walk to extend the chance. Kang Seung-ho was out on a flyout to left field. In the 8th inning, with no outs and a runner on 1st base, Yang Seok-hwan hit a ground ball to the shortstop, resulting in the lead runner being out at 2nd base.
Yang Seok-hwan, who signed a maximum $78 million FA contract for 4+2 years ahead of the 2024 season, played in 56 games this season, recording a batting average of .260 (53 hits in 204 at-bats), 6 home runs, and 23 RBIs, with an OPS of .748. His batting average over the last 10 games has been .167 (5 hits in 30 at-bats) with no RBIs. This is a significant distance from his last year's performance of 34 home runs and 107 RBIs over 142 games.
Kang Seung-ho recorded a batting average of .217 (44 hits in 203 at-bats), 3 home runs, and 21 RBIs in 56 games. Jo Soo-haeng, who won the stolen base title last year, has played in 45 games, recording a batting average of .230 (14 hits in 61 at-bats), 3 RBIs, 12 runs scored, and 12 stolen bases with an OPS of .545. Acting manager Jo Sung-hwan sent the three players, who have fallen into a slump, down to the 2nd team for a change in atmosphere.
Meanwhile, Doosan also restructured some of the coaching staff under the acting manager Jo Sung-hwan. Hitting coach Lee Young-soo and pitching coach Park Jeong-bae were sent down to the Futures (2nd team). Hitting coach Park Seok-min expressed his intention to resign following manager Lee Seung-yeop and had his contract terminated.
The newly appointed personnel include Go To Koji as head and hitting coach, Jo Joong-geun as hitting assistant coach, Kim Ji-yong and Gaduk Yeom as pitching coaches, Jo In-seong as battery coach, Kim Dong-han as defense coach, Lim Jae-hyun as base running (3rd base) coach, and Kim Jae-hyun as strategy (1st base) coach. Former 2nd team coaches Jo Joong-geun, Gaduk Yeom, and Kim Jae-hyun have been promoted to the 1st team.
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