Heroes' Lee Jung-hoo likely to miss rest of season after ankle injury

Lee Jung-hoo [YONHAP]

Kiwoom Heroes outfielder Lee Jung-hoo is expected to miss the remainder of the KBO season after injuring his left ankle during a game against the Lotte Giants on Saturday.

"Lee received a detailed checkup including an MRI and an X-ray at two hospitals today," the Heroes said in a statement on Monday. "He was diagnosed with damage to his left ankle and will have to undergo surgery. Rehabilitation is expected to take about three months."

Lee is the reigning KBO MVP and is a key part of the Kiwoom lineup, batting .319 with six home runs, 45 RBIs and 50 runs scored this season. He is the captain of the squad and has long been considered a future big league prospect.

Lee, the 2017 KBO Rookie of the Year, is a prolific hitter with a KBO-leading career .342 batting average. No player has recorded more hits than Lee over the six seasons since he entered the league, at 1,076, and he is also first in doubles over the same period, at 221, third in total bases, at 1,556, and in runs, at 531.

Lee is affectionately known as Grandson of the Wind, a reference to his father Lee Jong-beom, a Kia Tigers legend nicknamed Son of the Wind for his base-running speed. The elder Lee — generally considered one of the greatest KBO players of the 1990s — is a household name in Korea, but Lee Jung-hoo has already seen more than enough success to escape from his father's shadow.

Lee's exit also comes as a blow for the Korean national team, as he will have to be dropped from the squad for the upcoming Asian Games. Lee is an important part of the Korean squad and at the 2023 World Baseball Classic earlier this year he was the only non-Major Leaguer included on an MLB.com article analyzing the most interesting players to watch at the tournament.

The Heroes have not announced when Lee will be undergoing surgery.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]