Giants’ S. Korean rookie Lee Jung-hoo to undergo shoulder surgery in LA next week

Lee Jung-hoo, the South Korean rookie for the San Francisco Giants, is scheduled to undergo surgery next week for a shoulder injury sustained while facing the Cincinnati Reds, the Giants said Saturday. The Giants announced that Lee will undergo surgery Tuesday (local time) in Los Angeles. Lee has been placed on the sidelines for a shoulder injury he sustained after crashing into the center field wall at Oracle Park in San Francisco while trying to make a grab during the Giants' game against the Cincinnati Reds last month. The Giants had initially said Lee suffered a left shoulder strain but later changed the diagnosis to a dislocation after an MRI revealed structural damage. This brought an unfortunate early ending to Lee's first season in Major League Baseball after he batted .262/.310/.331 with two home runs, eight RBIs and two steals in 37 games for the Giants this year. His surgery and rehabilitation are expected to take six months. Lee signed a six-year, US$113 million contract with the Giants in D ecember. Renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache will be in charge of Lee's surgery. Lee has a history of successfully returning to the field after shoulder surgery. While playing for the Nexen Heroes, currently Kiwoom Heroes, in the KBO League in 2018, Lee returned to the field after a one-month rehabilitation for a tear in the cartilage of his left shoulder joint. After sustaining another left shoulder injury later that year, he underwent surgery to repair a tear in the cartilage tissue but returned to the field two months earlier than expected to join the regular season's opening game the following year. Announcing his decision for surgery last month, Lee recalled his 2018 surgery and successful return to the field, saying he will do his best to rehabilitate and come back strong again. Source: Yonhap News Agency