Is this the end of his career in the KBO? It’s not a myth. KBO fans may not see Lee Jeong-hoo playing in the KBO anymore.
Kiwoom made a shocking announcement on the 24th. Lee Jung-hoo received a report that he needs suture surgery for a left ankle anterior cruciate ligament injury, and the rehabilitation period after surgery is about three months. Even if he has surgery at the end of this month, he won’t be able to play until the end of October.
This year, the KBO has been hit by rainy weather, and many games have been postponed from September to October. However, Kiwoom, which calls the Gocheok Sky Dome home, has already played 89 games. Their last home game of the season is on 10 September against Hanwha in Gocheok, and they only have to play one more game each against Doosan in Jamsil, Lotte in Busan, and Lotte in Gwangju to finish the season.
Of course, Kiwoom could still have more away games cancelled before 10 September. Even so, it’s almost certain that they won’t play after 10 September. Regardless of when it happens, the KBO tries to schedule five teams to play at the same time on the final day of the regular season, meaning that even if Lee Jung-hoo miraculously returns sooner than expected, Kiwoom could still have one more game to play.
Furthermore, Kiwoom finished their first three games of the second half of the season with two wins and one loss, but are in eighth place with 40 points, 47 losses and two draws. They are 2.5 games behind fifth-placed Lotte and can still qualify for the postseason. However, due to the small number of games remaining, they are destined to be picked up by other clubs, so they may not make the postseason. If Kiwoom fails to qualify for the postseason, we may actually see very little of Lee Jung-hoo in a Kiwoom jersey.
In any case, Lee will be eligible for free agency after this season. Time on the disabled list does not count against his free agency days. He will be eligible for free agency in 2023-2024, and his new team will be determined through the Korean Posting System. There is zero chance that major league teams will suddenly change their minds about Lee because of his injury. They have years of loyalty built up.안전놀이터
Kiwoom’s 2023 season is not going well. The first half of the year was plagued by bad luck, and the start of the second half was too much. Aside from the fact that Lee won’t be playing in the Asian Games, the 25-year-old may not return to the KBO once he reaches the major leagues. This could be the end of Lee’s KBO career. If this becomes a reality, Lee’s fans in Korea and Kiwoom’s fans will be very disappointed.
If this can’t be the last time, Kiwoom should definitely go to the postseason. Then Kiwoom fans will be able to see the last of Lee Jeong-hoo.