The Lotte Giants of the Korea Baseball Organization are facing significant issues due to a series of injuries affecting their leadoff hitter.

Lotte lost 1-0 in a game against the SSG Landers held at Incheon SSG Landers Field on the 15th. This defeat ended their three-game winning streak.

They were struck by SSG ace Drew Anderson. Lotte only managed to record a total of 5 hits while remaining scoreless in this game. The situation with the leadoff was particularly disappointing. Kim Dong-hyeok was the starting center fielder in the leadoff position but went silent with 0 hits and 3 strikeouts in 3 at-bats. The only highlight was a successful sacrifice bunt in his last at-bat in the 8th inning.

Lotte has already lost 2 leadoff hitters to injuries this season. The first leadoff was Hwang Seong-bin, who had fully shown his potential last year. This year, he had also been performing well with a batting average of .324 (36 hits in 111 at-bats), 12 RBIs, 18 runs, 10 stolen bases, and an OPS of .744 over 28 games. However, he was sidelined due to a fracture of his left fourth finger sustained while sliding into first base during a game against SSG on the 5th of last month.

The gap left by Hwang Seong-bin's injury was completely filled by Jang Du-seong's surprising performance. Jang Du-seong, who mostly played as a pinch hitter throughout his career, showcased even better performance under the heavy responsibility of the leadoff position. This season, he recorded a batting average of .300 (47 hits in 155 at-bats), 23 RBIs, 34 runs, 9 stolen bases, and an OPS of .712 in 61 games, achieving results beyond expectations.

However, Jang Du-seong also suffered an unexpected injury. On the 12th against KT, he sustained a lung hemorrhage injury when he was hit in the side by a pickoff throw from pitcher Park Young-hyun. Fortunately, he avoided a serious injury and was discharged from the hospital, but he has been removed from the first-team roster as of the 13th and is currently focusing on recovery.

Head coach Kim Tae-hyoung of Lotte, having lost two leadoff hitters, is now in deep thought. With key batters like Yoon Dong-hee and Na Seung-yeop out due to injuries, he struggles to find a suitable player to fill the leadoff position. In an interview on the 13th, Kim Tae-hyoung noted, "Today I played (Kim) Dong-hyeok, but to be honest, I'm not very confident. I actually asked the hitting coach if Dong-hyeok is suited for the leadoff spot. However, it seems to me that there is no one to take that role. So I'm considering trying all the fast hitters once, and I'm also thinking about (Son) Ho-young since he swings aggressively."

Coach Kim Tae-hyoung utilized Kim Dong-hyeok as the leadoff against right-handed pitcher Anderson and Son Ho-young against left-handed pitcher Kim Kwang-hyun. However, the results were unsatisfactory. Both hitters remained hitless.

In response to a question about whether he has a preferred type of leadoff hitter, Coach Kim Tae-hyoung stated, "There is no specific type of player that suits the leadoff position. They need to hit well. It's not just about speed. (Son) Ho-young typically swings at pitches that enter his zone right from the first pitch. (Kim) Dong-hyeok has decent walk and on-base percentages. However, he doesn't have a swing that easily handles strong pitches. He's good at selecting pitches and has a high on-base percentage, so I'm thinking of trying him in the leadoff spot. His defense is good, and he doesn’t shy away from tough plays. Sometimes I worry about him getting injured."

Both Kim Dong-hyeok and Son Ho-young failed to produce satisfactory results, deepening Coach Kim Tae-hyoung's concerns. Until Jang Du-seong and Hwang Seong-bin return, someone must take on the leadoff role. How quickly the next leadoff is found will likely become a significant task for Lotte for the remainder of the season.

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