Lotte Giants outfielder Ahn Kwon-soo underwent a medical examination regarding a bone chip in his elbow that has been bothering him recently. The team will review the data from his training sessions and the examination to determine the timing of his surgery.
After being released by the Doosan Bears last year, Ahn Kwon-soo joined Lotte ahead of this season and has been a surprise hitter. In 39 games this season, Ahn hit .281 with 38 hits, two home runs, 16 RBIs, 10 doubles and a .336 on-base percentage 메이저사이트.
After batting .318 (27-for-85) in April, Ahn cooled off a bit in May, batting .220 (11-for-50). The reason for his slump in May was a bone spur in his elbow. The bone chips in Ahn’s elbow have been affecting both his hitting and defense.
Eventually, Ahn Kwon-soo, whose starting role has dwindled considerably in recent years, was faced with a decision about his elbow bone chips. On June 5, Ahn went to a hospital in Seoul to undergo a detailed diagnosis of the bone chips in his elbow.
A Lotte representative told MK Sports on June 5, “Ahn Kwon-soo underwent a medical examination regarding the bone chip problem in his elbow that has been bothering him recently. Tomorrow (June 6), we plan to decide whether or not to operate on him after watching his training sessions and the results of the examination.”
Elbow bone chip surgery usually takes three to four months to return to play. Most recently, Doosan outfielder Kim Jae-hwan underwent surgery to remove bone chips from his elbow in late October last year and was able to participate in spring training in February this year. However, there is a hopeful factor that the rehabilitation period may be shortened depending on the type of elbow debridement surgery.
“If it’s a simple surgery to remove a small piece of bone that’s floating around in the elbow, it’s possible to recover in two months. In that case, Ahn Kwon-soo may be able to make a full recovery in the second half of the season, around August. On the other hand, if it’s a more major surgery that involves scraping away bone, it’s likely to take three to four months or more. In that case, if he can’t come back in time for September, it would be difficult to make an easy decision on surgery.” 메이저사이트
With Jack Rex returning to the first team after recovering from a knee injury, it’s only positive in the long run that Ahn Kwon-soo’s surgery decision is made as soon as possible. It’s better for the team to have Ahn at 100 percent in time for the regular season finale in September and the postseason in October.
Another Lotte official said, “With his current physical condition, we can only use Ahn Kwon-soo as a pinch-hitter or catcher. The player himself will be mentally chased by his elbow problem. Hwang Sung-bin, Rex, Yoon Dong-hee, Ko Seung-min, and Kim Min-seok can all play in the outfield, so I think it would be more positive for both the player and the team if Ahn Kwon-soo came back after completely solving his elbow problem.”
Lotte has continued its early-season surge this season with a deep outfield depth. The gap between starters and backups has narrowed, making it much easier for the bench to operate. Even if they don’t have overwhelming batting stats, the outfield’s even performance has led to crucial runs in crucial situations. His .304 batting average, the only one in scoring position on the team, is proof of that.
The fact that Lotte is considering surgery for Ahn Kwon-soo also explains the team’s depth. Now, Lotte can take the long view and make a choice that will make the team stronger at the end of the season, rather than rushing into the immediate future. It will be interesting to see what the timing of Ahn Kwon-soo’s elbow surgery will be.