‘NC big bad’ Park Gun-woo diagnosed with suspected right wrist fracture

“Seoul police to examine”

The NC Dinos are facing a major setback. Starting outfielder Park Gun-woo is expected to be unable to play for the foreseeable future.

Park started the 2024 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League 2024 home game against the Lotte Giants at Changwon NC Park on June 26 as a third baseman and right fielder.

From the first at-bat, there was a dizzying situation. Facing Lotte starter Park Se-woong at first base in the bottom of the first inning, Park was hit by a pitch to the body. He was not seriously injured, so he continued to run the bases and was able to play defense.

The second at-bat was the problem. In the top of the third inning, with the score tied at 0-0, Park was working a full count when a seven-pitch pitch from Park Se-woong hit him in the right wrist. After complaining of excruciating pain following the hit, Park was rushed to the hospital by ambulance for tests. It was a moment that stunned everyone, including Lotte manager Kim Tae-hyung, who ran onto the field.

It was the worst possible outcome for both NC and Park. An NC official said, “Park Gun-woo was examined at a local hospital after the ball hit his body, and a CT scan revealed a suspected fracture in his right wrist. He will undergo a secondary examination in Seoul, and a treatment plan will be announced afterward.”

After playing for the Doosan Bears until 2021, Park became a free agent ahead of the 2022 season and opted to move rather than re-sign, joining the Dinosaurs. He lived up to the team’s expectations as he continued to rise, posting a batting average of more than 3% in 2022 and last year for the second straight year.

This season hasn’t been any different. Through 26 games, Park’s season stats were 88 games, 323 hits, 111 runs, .344 batting average, 13 home 토토사이트 순위 runs, 53 RBIs, and a .948 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage), and it was clear that if Park kept up this pace, he would have his best season since joining the NC. However, an unforeseen variable took him out of the lineup.

It’s a big void for NC, which is in the midst of a title race. “The team is in the middle of the standings race, so I think we should continue to play hard if players are injured, and if there are injuries, it will affect the team,” said NC head coach Kang Myung-hwa ahead of the Gwangju Kia Tigers game on April 25, emphasizing the need for injury vigilance. However, just a day after the captain’s comments, NC was left without its centerpiece player.

Meanwhile, NC, which continued to play after Park’s injury, won its second straight game with a 9-2 victory over Lotte. After allowing two ties, NC regained the lead in the bottom of the seventh inning on a Matt Davidson RBI double, and then scored five runs in one inning, including a solo shot by Davidson in the top of the eighth, to secure the win.

Lee Jae-hak, who started against Park Se-woong, pitched 6 1/3 innings of four-hit ball with three runs (one earned) on four hits and three walks while striking out seven, while second baseman Ryu Jin-wook earned the save after tossing ⅔ scoreless innings.