Lions manager benches injured catcher for 1st time in postseason
DAEGU — After starting eight consecutive postseason games for the Samsung Lions despite dealing with an oblique injury, catcher Kang Min-ho was benched for the start of Game 4 of the Korean Series on Saturday. Manager Park Jin-man replaced the 41-year-old Kang with the 26-year-old backstop Kim Do-hwan. The Lions defeated the KT Wiz 5-1 in a Friday evening game to take a 2-1 lead in the…
In the first postseason benching of his career, Samsung Lions catcher Kang Min-ho was replaced for Game 4 of the Korean Series on Saturday. 41-year-old Kang had started all eight previous postseason games despite suffering from an oblique injury. Manager Park Jin-man substituted him with 26-year-old backup Kim Do-hwan. The Lions secured a 5-1 victory over KT Wiz, taking a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.
The following day, they will face the same opponent in a back-to-back night and day game. Kang, who is currently batting 0-for-6 in the series, had been in the lineup primarily due to his defensive abilities. Manager Park explained that it was time to give Kang a break. Kim, who will make his first career postseason start, will face a 19-year-old pitcher, Jang Chan-hee.
This will also be Jang's debut in a postseason game, having been a third-round pick in the 2025 Korea Baseball Organization draft. Park expressed hope that both young catchers would provide energy and enthusiasm during the game.
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