Another Korean big leaguer, Choi Ji-man of the Pittsburgh Pirates, has entered the full-fledged return process.
Choi Ji-man was placed on the injured list (IL) due to a left Achilles tendon injury on April 15 (Korean time). As his rehabilitation lengthened, Choi Ji-man, who was immediately transferred to the 60th-IL, was recently diagnosed as being able to play and played his first minor league rehabilitation game.
Choi Ji-man, who was assigned to the Double A Altoona Curve as a rehabilitation team, started as first baseman twice in the home game against the Bowie Bay Sox (Baltimore Orioles)토토사이트 held in Altoona, Pennsylvania, USA on the 23rd and recorded 1 hit in 2 at-bats.
With no runners in the first inning, Choi Ji-man fired a double from opponent starter Peter Van Loon to center field. In the 3rd inning, when he was trailing 1-3, he attacked Van Lun’s first pitch after one death and withdrew with a floating ball in right field. He was then replaced by Jacob Gonzalez in the 6th inning when he was trailing 1-7.
In an interview with MLB.com, Choi Ji-man said, “I was honestly a bit nervous because it’s been a while since I played the game.”
Choi Ji-man played a minor league game for the first time in two years since Triple A in May 2021 during the Tampa Bay Race and the Rookie League in September, and the Double A game has been nine years since 2014 during the Seattle Mariners.
As the defense and hitting have been handled normally, Choi Ji-man is expected to be able to return within this month. MLB.com also predicted the time of Choi Ji-man’s return at the end of June.
Choi Ji-man recorded a batting average of 0.125 (4 hits in 32 at-bats), 2 home runs, 2 RBIs, 3 runs, and an OPS of 0.469 in 9 games this season before the injury.
Pittsburgh is in a situation where it is on all sides in June. The downtrend is getting longer as the number of injured continues. On the same day, against the Chicago Cubs, they suffered a shocking come-from-behind loss 4-6, falling into a 10-game losing streak. Pittsburgh, which competed for the lead in the NL Central Division, fell to second place on the 17th, and fell to fourth place as the losing streak extended.
In the midst of this, outfielder Brian Reynolds, the team’s leading hitter, was listed on the 10th-IL today due to a back injury. Director Derek Shelton said, “I checked Reynolds’ physical condition over the past two to three days, and I decided that giving him more than 10 days was the best way.” Pittsburgh called up right-hander Cody Bolton from Triple-A instead.
Reynolds has a batting average of 0.279 (72 hits in 258 at-bats), 8 home runs, 40 RBIs, 38 runs scored, and an OPS of 0.823 in 68 games this season. 1st in team batting average and RBI. Reynolds’ return date is early July.