I've avoided the worst elbow inflammation, but I'm likely to be out for the season...KIA has no end to suffering from injuries to key young guns

Sep 12, 2025

KBO League SSG and KIA match held at SSG Landers Field in Incheon on the 27th. KIA starter Kim Do-hyun roars as he comes down the mound after pitching in the sixth inning. Incheon = Song Jeong-heon Reporter's songs@sportschosun.com/2025.08.27/

"It is said that he has symptoms of elbow inflammation."

KIA Tigers right-hander Kim Do-hyun avoided the worst. Kim Do-hyun took the mound against the Lotte Giants in Gwangju on the 11th and was worried because he was replaced in one inning due to elbow pain, but he was diagnosed with elbow inflammation after a hospital examination.

However, the timing of the injury is ambiguous. KIA has 16 games left in the season as of the 12th. Kim Do-hyun has to rest at least 10 days, and it took more than a month for foreign pitcher Adam Oler, who left at the end of the first half due to elbow inflammation, to return to the mound. The degree of pain may not be similar, but it means that the diagnosis of inflammation should not be taken lightly.

An official from KIA took an MRI scan at the club's designated hospital, Seonhan Hospital, on the 11th, and sent a photograph to Cheongdam Leone Orthopedic Clinic in Seoul for cross-examination because cross-examination was required according to the club manual. As a result of reading together, I heard the findings of inflammation. Although he was canceled from the entry, the timing of his return is undecided. I'm going to look at the recovery and decide when to come back"I didn't say for sure about the season out.

KIA manager Lee Bum-ho said ahead of the match against the Doosan Bears in Gwangju on the 12th, "(My arm was in good condition) until now, but he said he didn't feel good when he warmed up his arm. He threw an inning and said he didn't feel good, so I quickly took him out so he could go to the hospital"I explained the situation the day before.

Regarding whether he is out of the season or not, head coach Lee predicted negatively, saying, `We will check what we will do in 10 days, but I think it will not be easy in 10 days as it is now.'

Kim Do-hyun pitched for the first time in Korea until the first half of this year. I wonder if he was the one who competed for the fifth starter. It is no exaggeration to say that he actually led the mound with foreigners one-two punch James Nail and Adam Oler. Seung-woon did not follow because he did not receive scoring support from the batters, but if he had followed Seung-woon, he could have dreamed of achieving 10 wins in his first full-time start.

The match between KIA and Lotte at Kia Champions Field in Gwangju on the 11th. KIA Kim Do-hyun leaves the mound after pitching one run in the first inning. Gwangju =Song Jeong-heon, Reporter Song@sportschosun.com/2025.09.11/

Kak Do-kyu, who took the mound at Hanwha Life Ball Park in Daejeon on the 28th, allowed two runs with two walks and one out in the bottom of the seventh inning. Kwak Do-gyu is in trouble. Daejeon = Reporter Jeong Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com /2025.3.28/

However, there was a clear difference in grades in the first half of the year. In the first half, he recorded 90 ⅔ innings and a 3.18 ERA in 16 games. It was so stable that it was evaluated as a first-line issuance in Korea. In the second half, he only had 34 ⅔ innings and a 9.09 ERA in eight games. I was worried about my physical strength in my first full-time season, but I ended up coming down the mound bitterly due to a strain on my elbow.

Looking back on Kim Do-hyun's season, Lee said "He threw it really well. In the beginning, if the batters had scored when (Kim) Do-hyun did not give a score, he could have won close to 10 games. What I couldn't do was that I didn't get lucky this year. He must have felt and enlightened a lot by throwing nearly 130 innings this season. If you prepare this much next season, I think you will be able to find the innings and wins you want from next year. Seeing that he played the full season for the first time, he showed enough of his ability. I hope that he will be a player who will not get injured and perform well in the future."

The sluggishness in the second half was not due to the accumulation of elbow fatigue.

Manager Lee said, `In the second half of the year, I gave him a lot of time to rest. In the first half of the year, he threw a lot and took out 10 days, and when it rained, the date was delayed for about six to seven days to throw. Rather than feeling tired, I think it's the first full season, so I think it's a season I spent feeling how to solve when my performance is poor. Do-hyun is also in her mid-20s. As a starter in his mid-20s, he has the ability to throw 120-130 innings. If we prepare well for the season next year, we will be a starting pitcher who can throw more innings than this year."

This year, many key young guns were left and suffered. Left-hander must-win group Kwak Do-kyu and left-hander Yoon Young-chul were on the operating table, and Hwang Dong-ha, who was worth as an alternative starter or long relief, has almost lost the season due to an accidental traffic accident and has miraculously increased his chances of returning to the first team. On top of that, even Kim Do-hyun was out of power due to injury, which caused regret.

The match between Hanwha and KIA at Hanwha Life Ballpark in Daejeon on the 8th. With no outs and no outs, first base in the bottom of the third inning. KIA starter Yoon Young-chul, who is being replaced. Daejeon = Song Jeong-heon Reporter's songs@sportschosun.com/2025.07.08/

A match between the Samsung Lions and the KIA Tigers at Daegu Lions Park on the 24th. KIA Hwang Dong-ha is catching his breath. Daegu=Park Jae-man Reporter pjm@sportschosun.com /2025.04.24/

This article was translated by Naver AI translator.