Kim Do-young of the KIA Tigers, who has joined the South Korean baseball team for the Asian Games, addressed his health status. Upon arriving at Nagoya Chubu International Airport in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on September 18, he told reporters, "I feel the same as when I played the season without injuries. I believe there are no issues now."
He added, "My condition is fine. The priority is to avoid injuries before the games, and I will work hard to quickly regain my senses."
Regarding his hitless performance in a recent exhibition game, he said, "I tried to make good contact, but it just didn’t happen. I never have good memories from practice games before international competitions. I will take that as comfort and strive to perform well in the actual games."
Kim also stated, "I have no thoughts about the batting order. I will do my best in whatever position I am placed. Now that I am in Japan, I will approach this with a positive mindset. I am focused solely on winning and will work hard for that."
On September 21, South Korea will face Taiwan, a strong contender for the championship, in their first game of the B group at Okazaki Central General Park in Aichi Prefecture.
Meanwhile, on September 9, Kim suffered a facial injury when he attempted a surprise bunt against the NC Dinos and was hit by the bat. He underwent surgery for a fibula fracture and was discharged on September 11. He returned to play as the designated hitter in a game against the Hanwha Eagles on September 13.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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