Kang Baek-ho returns to the first team after 32 days out
Out of the starting lineup, waiting in the wings
After spending about a month on the second team, KT Wiz’s Kang Baek-ho has returned to the first team.
KT will play an away game against the Keum Heroes of the 2023 Shinhan Bank Solar KBO League at the Gocheok SkyDome on Nov. 11. The three-game midweek series is the final series of the first half.
KT made changes to the first team roster. They called up Kang Baek-ho, Kim Min-soo, and Kim Jun-tae to the first team, while sending Lee Byung-seong, Lee Sun-woo, and Lee Sang-ho to the second team.
Core hitter Kang Baek-ho was finally called up to the first team. After being sent down to the second team on March 9 due to cold symptoms, Kang Baek-ho took about a month off to recover.
He was originally scheduled to play in the last two games of the first half of the Futures League against the Armed Forces Athletic Corps (Sangsang), but the game on Nov. 11 was canceled due to rain.
Before the game, KT head coach Lee Kang-cheol told reporters, “I couldn’t practice (with the second team) anyway, and I don’t have a good substitute for the team right now. I even live-batted, and when I spoke to the second team coach, he said it was okay. It’s time for me to come up. I was told that my body was ready,” he said, explaining his call-up.
KT will use a lineup of Kim Min-hyuk (right fielder), Kim Sang-soo (shortstop), Anthony Alford (left fielder), Park Byung-ho (first baseman), Jang Sung-woo (catcher), Hwang Jae-gyun (third baseman), Lee Ho-yeon (first baseman), Moon Sang-chul (designated hitter), and Bae Jeong-dae (center fielder) against Kiwoom on the 11th. The starting pitcher is Wes Benjamin.
Out of the starting lineup is Baek-ho Kang, who will be waiting on the bench to pinch-hit. It is unclear whether he will start the final two games of the first half.
Lee said, “I haven’t seen him play defense yet, but if he’s good, he might start Game 1 as a designated hitter. I haven’t decided yet. I need to see him hit,” Lee said.
Kang played in 49 games this season, batting .276 with five home runs, 고스톱 29 RBIs and a 0.771 OPS.
[SEOUL, South Korea].
