“Korean baseball treasure” Lee Jung-hoo (25, Kiwoom Heroes) is happy to report that his ankle surgery went well.
“The surgery went well, and I’m grateful to our Heroes fans and many others who worried about me and supported me,” Lee said on his social networking site (SNS) on July 27.
“I will recover quickly and see you again on the field,” he added.
Lee underwent ankle surgery at a hospital in Seoul earlier in the day. The surgery reportedly went well. According to Kiwoom officials, Lee will be discharged from the hospital on the 29th.
Lee was substituted in the eighth inning of the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League away game against the Lotte Giants at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan on April 22 after feeling pain in his left ankle while fielding.
Lee underwent a full medical examination at CM Hospital and Sejong Sports Orthopedics Center, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and x-rays. As a result, he was diagnosed with a damaged ligament in his left ankle, and surgery was inevitable.
At the time, a representative from Kiwoom said, “The extensor ligament is a membrane that wraps around the ankle tendon and requires suture surgery to repair. The rehabilitation period is expected to be about three months.”
Fortunately, Lee Jung-hoo completed the surgery safely and well, and after being discharged from the hospital, he will join the second team and begin rehabilitation training from next week.
Lee has been practically irreplaceable for the Kiwoom. Before his injury, he was batting .319 (329-for-105) with 23 doubles, two triples, six home runs, 45 RBI, 50 runs scored, six stolen bases, 49 walks, 23 strikeouts, a .456 on-base percentage, a .407 slugging percentage, and an OPS of .863 in 85 games this season.
He was especially hot in his last 10 games, going 33-for-14 (.424) in 41 at-bats, which makes this injury all the more unfortunate. Furthermore, Kiwoom is ninth in the league this season with 40 wins, two draws, and 49 losses (through 27 games) for a winning percentage of .449. Furthermore, the team will be without infielder Kim Hye-sung and catcher Kim Dong-heon for the Hangzhou Asian Games.
The three-month rehabilitation period will prevent them from participating in the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, in September. This is bad news for the Korean national baseball team. The team will be looking to win its fourth consecutive Asian Games gold medal after winning in Guangzhou in 2010, Incheon in 2014 and Jakarta-Palembang in 2018. After a disastrous World Baseball Classic (WBC) in March, South Korea’s baseball team is heading into the Asian Games with the goal of a complete generational change. Lee Jung-hoo, who has both skill and leadership qualities, was expected to be the mental anchor of the team. However, Lee’s surgery has left the team with a loss of strength.
Without Lee, the team has only two outfielders, Choi Ji-hoon (SSG Landers) and Choi Won-jun (KIA Tigers). With the ability to make roster changes before the tournament, national team manager Ryu Jung-il and power enhancement committee chairman Cho Kye-hyun are expected to select an outfielder to fill Lee’s void.먹튀검증
In addition, Lee will try to make it to the Major League Baseball after this season. The Kiwoom club had already promised their full support, respecting his will and determination to make it to the big leagues, which made him even more determined before the start of this season. It could be his last season with Kiwoom. “I hope to build great memories with my teammates, and I’m more eager and determined than ever to win,” Lee said before the season. The evaluation by major league scouts is already over. According to Kiwoom officials, scouts from more than 10 major league teams have visited the Gocheok Sky Dome so far this month, and officials from Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) teams have also shown interest. Lee will now focus on his rehabilitation.
