The wind blows again to the San Francisco Giants lineup. Lee Jung-hoo (27), who overcame sudden back pain, returned to the starting lineup.
Lee Jung-hoo was included in the team's starting lineup for the 2025 Major League Baseball (MLB) exhibition game against Triple-A Sacramento River Cats at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento, California on the morning of the 24th (Korea time). The San Francisco club deployed Lee Jung-hoo as the third center fielder. It is only 10 days since Lee Jung-hoo started the exhibition game on the 14th.
Lee Jung-hoo, who showed good batting performance from the beginning of the exhibition game, was expected to be a key hitter for San Francisco this year. Then, he suddenly disappeared from the game after playing against the Texas Rangers on the 14th. It turned out that it was because of a sudden back pain. I slept and woke up after the Texas match, and felt severe pain in my back and back.
The back pain, which was expected to heal quickly because there was no special injury situation, did not easily subside. Coach Bob Melvin also worried on the 18th that `the condition is not getting better.' Eventually, when Lee Jung-hoo's condition did not improve, San Francisco entered 'Special Management'. He was asked to undergo a detailed examination such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), followed by a follow-up treatment by his team doctor Dr. Kenneth Akazuki.
Fortunately, the results of the close examination were good. The San Francisco club announced on the 19th that an MRI examination of Lee's back found no abnormalities. The San Francisco Chronicle, a San Francisco area, also showed no structural damage on MRI examination of Lee's back. I will continue my rehabilitation, and I will not be absent from the long-term,' he reported.
Even after this diagnosis, Lee Jung-hoo did not return to the real game immediately. Pain remained, and the San Francisco club carefully scheduled Lee Jung-hoo's return. As he was classified as a key player in the team, he carefully pushed for his return.
In the end, after waiting four to five more days, Lee Jung-hoo's return match was decided on the 24th. The return to the game against Sacramento means a lot. If Lee Jung-hoo shows a strong performance at bat and defense on this day, the possibility of starting the opening game increases. In the end, this game can be seen as a touchstone to check Lee Jung-hoo's health.
Lee Jung-hoo was batting .300 (9 hits in 30 at-bats) with two home runs and five RBIs in exhibition games before back pain occurred. This year's goal is 'Completion of the full-time season' which was not achieved last year. Lee Jung-hoo came out as the main player from last year's opening game, his first MLB season, but he ended the season early due to a shoulder injury and surgery in May.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
