KT Wiz fourth starter Uhm Sang-baek’s injury wasn’t just a sore side, as a hospital checkup revealed a microfracture in his ribs.

“Uhm Sang-baek was diagnosed with a microfracture in his No. 8 rib after an MRI and X-ray at a Seoul hospital today,” a KT Wiz official told OSEN on Friday.

KT removed Uhm, a key part of its starting rotation, from the first-team roster ahead of the ninth game of the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League against the KIA Tigers at KT Wiz Park in Suwon on April 24.

The reason was injury. KT manager Lee Kang-cheol said at the time in Suwon, “He had pain in his right side, but he pitched through it. Today (the 24th), the condition got worse, so I excluded him.” “There is no problem on the MRI. However, it was so painful that I couldn’t sleep, so I expunged it. When the pain subsides, I can throw again,” he said, downplaying the injury.

However, further tests revealed an unexpected fracture in his ribs. At the time of the expungement, he was expected to return to work after 10 days of rest, but there was a reason he was in so much pain that he couldn’t sleep.

A KT representative said, “He needs to rest, and we will monitor his condition and reexamine him later. It is expected to take about four weeks to return to work,” said a KT official.안전놀이터

The exclusion of Uhm Sang-baek has created a crack in KT’s strong starting lineup. The team will need a replacement for the next month, including the upcoming game against Samsung in Suwon on the 29th. KT initially filled the void by calling up Jo Jo-hyun, who is capable of digesting long innings, but he will need to be evaluated for at least four weeks before further reinforcements can be made.

The KT No. 4 starter has been one of the pillars of KT’s strong starting rotation this season, posting a 7-6 record with a 3.63 ERA in 20 games. In his most recent outing, on April 22 against the Suwon KIA, he was rocked for four runs in 5⅔ innings and ended up suffering a dislocated rib, forcing him to undergo a month-long rehabilitation schedule.