San Francisco Giants’ Lee Jung-hoo has concluded the 2026 season.
He was placed on the 10-day injured list on the 22nd, ahead of a home MLB (Major League Baseball) game against the Minnesota Twins. The cause was a ball hit by himself (a foul) striking his groin area during the sixth inning of an away game against the LA Dodgers the previous day. Lee Jung-hoo drove in a ground ball to right field with focus and completed his defensive duties in the bottom of the sixth inning, but was replaced before the bottom of the seventh.
Lee Jung-hoo was not scheduled to start on the 22nd and was preparing to serve as a pinch hitter, but the team placed him on the injured list—the second time this year. He had previously rested for 10 days in late May due to lower back muscle pain.
With six regular-season games remaining, the Giants are in fourth place among the five teams in the National League West. Having already exited the postseason early and with little significance left in the standings race, the decision appears to have been made to protect Lee Jung-hoo.
With Lee Jung-hoo’s absence, all position players who started in the Giants’ opening game of the 2026 season have either left due to injury or been traded.
In his third MLB season, Lee Jung-hoo appeared in 143 games, batting .276 with 10 home runs, 57 RBIs, and 12 stolen bases. He hit double-digit home runs for the first time since joining the majors. He once recorded a .338 batting average in June, competing for the league batting title, and maintained a .300 average until early August. However, he struggled with a .100s average in September, leaving room for regret.
His batting performance improved overall compared to last season (.266, 8 home runs, 55 RBIs, 10 stolen bases). His 149 hits matched last season’s total (150 games). However, his OPS (on-base plus slugging), which was .735 last year, slightly decreased to .724 this season.
Before this season, Lee Jung-hoo switched his defensive position from center field to right field. Despite his excellent throwing ability, his weakness in judging batted balls was pointed out as a flaw.
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