The professional baseball Hanwha Eagles are set to soon acquire a substitute player for foreign hitter Florial's injury.

A high-ranking official from Hanwha said on the 15th, 'We will soon acquire a substitute player for Florial's injury. He is not from Australia.' They added, 'We can look toward the U.S., but it's not entirely American.'

Like the Coen Wynne that LG Twins acquired as an injury substitute, if it's a pitcher, they could utilize a listed Australian player while preparing for the Asian quota system. However, a fielder capable of outfield defense and possessing decent hitting skills does not meet the criteria as an Australian. If not from the American independent league, they are expected to bring in a player currently competing in the Mexican league or Central and South American leagues.

Hanwha placed Florial on the rehabilitation list (6 weeks) on the 13th. Florial was hit on the right hand by a 151 km/h fastball thrown by KIA Tigers pitcher Jeong Hae-young during the 10th inning of an extension game on the 8th in Gwangju. After being hit, Florial endured the pain and completed the game.

However, subsequent examinations revealed bone fragments in the area hit by the pitch. Florial appeared as a pinch runner in the 7th inning of the game against Doosan Bears on the 12th while undergoing treatment.

Florial participated in team training ahead of the game against LG Twins on the 13th. He also completed batting practice. However, his physical condition was not satisfactory.

Manager Kim Kyung-moon commented on Florial's physical condition, stating, 'I tried taking some swings, and while I could connect with slower breaking balls and pitches thrown at a gentle pace, if he is known to be injured, why would the opposing team throw breaking balls or weak pitches? They would throw stronger pitches.' He added, 'He can't rotate the bat properly right now.'

Hanwha made a decision. Rather than waiting for Florial's hand injury to heal, they decided to acquire an injury substitute player. It will take considerable time for Florial's condition to improve, and with the current situation being highly competitive for first place, the absence of a foreign hitter is regrettable.

Hanwha announced on the 13th that they would remove Florial from the first-team roster and registered him as a rehabilitation player, quickly moving to acquire an injury substitute.

Manager Kim Kyung-moon said, 'We waited for three days because Florial has contributed to the team, and we are grateful for that. He has been very diligent, so after recovering, there will be another chance.'

Florial has participated in 65 games this season, recording a batting average of .271 (70 hits in 258 at-bats), 8 home runs, 29 RBIs, and 36 runs scored, with an OPS of .783. Although there are some regrets in hitting, he showed strengths in defense and base running while playing as a center fielder.

On the 15th, Hanwha achieved a dramatic 10-5 comeback victory against LG in Daejeon, climbing to first place. To maintain their top position, they need to quickly bring in an injury substitute foreign player.

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