Kia Tigers third baseman Kim Do-yeong is in action against the NC Dinos during the teams’ Korea Baseball Organization Opening Day game at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, some 270 kilometers south of Seoul, on March 22, 2025, in this file photo provided by the Tigers. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, April 3 (Korea Bizwire) – The reigning South Korean baseball MVP Kim Do-yeong resumed baseball activities this week as he makes his way back from a hamstring injury, his club said Thursday.
The Kia Tigers of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) said the latest test on Thursday showed “a notable improvement” on Kim’s injured left hamstring. Kim resumed technical training in the club’s minor league facilities Wednesday in Hampyeong, South Jeolla Province, the Gwangju-based team added.
“He will train for about a week before getting into rehab games in the minor league,” a Tigers official said. “After that point, we will be able to determine a timetable for his return.”
Kim suffered a mild, grade 1 strain of his left hamstring during the Tigers’ first game of the season on March 22. After hitting a single against the NC Dinos, Kim made a slightly bigger turn than usual as he rounded first base and grabbed the back of his left thigh on his way back.
The Tigers, trying to become the first team in nine years to repeat as Korean Series champions, have been decimated by early-season injuries. They have also lost their starting shortstop Park Chan-ho (right knee) and second baseman Kim Sun-bin (left calf).
Through Wednesday, the Tigers were tied for last place with a record of 3-6-0 (wins-losses-ties).
Kim put together a historic 2024 season at age 20. He was the runaway winner of the regular-season MVP award after belting out 38 home runs and stealing 40 bases, becoming the youngest member of the 30-30 club in KBO history. He also set a single-season record with 143 runs scored.
He batted .347/.420/.647 and had 109 RBIs, and was the youngest player with a .300 batting average, 30 homers, 100 RBIs and 100 runs scored in the same season.
(Yonhap)
