As Game 4 of the playoffs was postponed by a day, a variable was created.
Koo Ja-wook, captain of the Samsung Lions, returned to Korea after flying to Japan for emergency treatment on his left knee. He has changed his destination to Incheon International Airport rather than Busan, which is drawing attention. He will join the Samsung team.
Koo Ja-wook left Narita Airport in Japan on the 18th and arrived at Incheon International Airport. He then moved to the accommodation of the Seoul team and is living together.
Until the 18th, a club official told reporters, “Koo Ja-wook was going to return home through Gimhae International Airport and move to Daegu to take a rest, but he changed his schedule because he thought it would be better to receive treatment in Seoul,” adding, “Koo Ja-wook will use the team’s accommodation, but he will not appear at the stadium.”
However, variables arose as the “2024 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League Playoff,” which was scheduled to be held at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Songpa-gu, Seoul on the 18th, was canceled due to rain and postponed to the 19th. Koo Ja-wook may not be able to start, but as he showed off his bat in the first and second playoff games, the possibility of using it as a substitute card has emerged.
Koo Ja-wook injured his left knee while trying to steal second base in the first inning of the second playoff game against the LG Twins at Daegu Samsung Lions Park on the 15th. He was even noticeable limping when he stepped home.
In the end, after being replaced early in the game, he was examined at a hospital near the stadium, and there was a finding of micro-damage to the internal ligament.
He then departed for Japan on Monday morning and received electrical stimulation treatment at Yokohama Ijima Treatment Center, a rehabilitation hospital. He received treatment quickly for two nights and three days, and as Game 4 was postponed by one day due to rain, he gained time to recover his condition.
Coincidentally, Samsung coach Park Jin-man also gave a somewhat positive answer on Wednesday. “I need to check my physical condition. I will know for sure when I come to Jamsil. I heard that the pain has gone away a lot,” he said. “Since I am in Seoul anyway, I will undergo hospital treatment today (18th), and I will be accompanied by the team starting tomorrow (19th regardless of whether I will participate in the game or not.”
Koo Ja-wook is putting a lot of energy into his quick return, such as having another checkup in Seoul after actually arriving at Incheon International Airport.
For now, Koo Ja-wook’s chances of playing in Game 4 are still small. As he gained time from the postponement, but feels pain in his knee, he is expected to focus on playing in Game 5 of the playoffs or the Korean Series, which may be held if Samsung wins Game 4. 스포츠토토
However, as Samsung lost 0-1 in Game 3 at Jamsil Stadium, where the stadium is large, on the 17th, the possibility of using Koo Ja-wook as a pinch hitter card cannot be excluded.
Koo Ja-wook is Samsung’s flagship batter with a batting average of 0.343, 33 homers and 115 RBIs during this year’s regular season. In the first game of the playoffs, despite dizziness accompanied by vomiting, he made three hits (one homer), walked one, and scored three RBIs and three runs from four times at bat, and was named the MVP of the game. In the second game, he had a hit at his first at-bat just before getting injured, before scoring a run.
For both Samsung and LG, the Koo Ja-wook card has emerged as a new variable.
