Hanwha Eagles baseball player Kang Baek-ho will be sidelined from the first-team roster for the time being due to a recurring side injury.

The Hanwha club announced today (July 20), "Medical examinations revealed that Kang Baek-ho has suffered an injury to his left external oblique muscle. We plan to remove him from the entry, and a decision on his return will be made after further check-ups."

Kang caused concern yesterday, July 19, when he felt pain in the same area during a game against Kiwoom in Daejeon and was substituted mid-game.

For Kang, side injuries have been a persistent issue that has troubled him throughout his career.

He was ruled out for the season in 2023 while playing for the kt wiz after suffering an injury from a powerful swing just before the postseason, and he has been sidelined multiple times since then with the same injury.

Kang is a type of player who maximizes his slugging power with an exceptionally large swing.

Because of this, he often spins around like a ballet dancer when he swings and misses, a trait that inspired him to dress up as a ballerina for this year's All-Star Game to entertain fans.

In this year's Home Run Derby, held prior to the All-Star Game, he also showcased his immense power by hitting a ball as far as 145 meters, winning the event for the first time in his career.

However, he will now be sidelined due to injury just four games into the second half of the season.

Kang's performance this season has been stellar, serving as a key playmaker for Hanwha with a batting average of 0.315 (99 hits in 314 at-bats), 23 home runs, and 86 RBIs in 82 games.

He currently leads the league in RBIs and is tied for third in home runs.

Hanwha, which recorded one draw and three losses in their four-game series against Kiwoom to start the second half, faces an inevitable blow to their team strength with Kang's departure.

Hanwha is currently in 6th place with 40 wins, 43 losses, and 3 draws, a winning percentage of 0.482, trailing the 5th-place Doosan Bears by 4 games.

Meanwhile, following the conclusion of the first four-game series of the second half, 16 other players across the KBO League were also removed from the first-team roster alongside Kang Baek-ho.

Samsung Lions outfielder Park Seung-gyu will take a short break after being removed from the entry due to discomfort in his left side.

A Samsung club official stated, "He should be fine after about a week of rest."

From Samsung, infielder Lee Hae-seung and pitcher Lee Jae-ik were also removed from the roster.

The LG Twins removed infielder Cheon Seong-ho, who has been struggling with his hitting recently, from the first team, while Hanwha outfielder Lee Do-hoon was also sidelined.

The SSG Landers sent infielder Ko Myeong-jun, outfielder Kim Seong-uk, and pitcher Han Doo-sol to the second team, while the NC Dinos removed pitchers Song Myeong-gi, Choi Woo-seok, and Ha Jun-young from the entry.

The Lotte Giants removed outfielder Shin Yoon-hoo and pitcher Lee Jun-seo, while the KIA Tigers removed pitcher Kim Si-hoon and infielder Eom Jun-hyun.

Kiwoom Heroes veteran outfielder Lim Ji-yeol was also notified of his move to the second team.

(Photo: Courtesy of Hanwha Eagles, Yonhap News)