Samsung Lions starter Won Tae-in pitches against the Kiwoom Heroes during a Korea Baseball Organization regular-season game at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on June 28, 2025, in this photo provided by the Lions. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, July 2 (Korea Bizwire) — The Samsung Lions announced Wednesday their ace Won Tae-in will be sidelined with tightness in his upper back.
Before playing the Doosan Bears at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul, Lions manager Park Jin-man said Won complained of upper back pains during practice Tuesday and he decided to remove the right-hander from the active roster rather than forcing him back into action later this week.
Per the rules in the Korea Baseball Organization, a player taken off the active roster must remain out for at least 10 days. The first half of the season ends on July 10, meaning Won is ineligible to pitch again before the All-Star break.
Won is 6-3 with a 3.13 ERA over 92 innings in 15 starts. He is second among Lions starters in wins, ERA and innings pitched.
In his most recent outing Saturday against the Kiwoom Heroes, Won was torched for his season-high eight runs on seven hits in five innings.
Park said Won’s injury had nothing to do with that performance. The manager was noncommittal when asked if Won would be able to return right away when the second half of the season begins July 17.
“I didn’t want to ask him to pitch when he’s clearly hurting,” Park said. “We will see how he recovers during this time off.”
A Lions official said Won’s injury is not considered serious and he wasn’t scheduled to undergo any tests.
(Yonhap)
