Kim Do-young hit in the face by bunt attempt, undergoes nasal fracture surgery
The KIA Tigers said on the 10th that "Kim Do-young underwent a nasal bone fracture reduction procedure at the club's designated hospital on the night of the 9th," adding that "he will be discharged on the 11th after inpatient treatment."
A nasal fracture reduction procedure realigns a broken nose bone to its original position. Recovery time varies depending on the patient's condition and the severity of the injury.
Kim was replaced during the 2026 KBO League game against the NC Dinos at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field on the 9th, after being hit in the face by a ball that ricocheted off his bat while attempting a surprise bunt with a runner on first and no outs in the bottom of the fourth inning, trailing 0-3.
He was taken immediately to a hospital for examination and was diagnosed with a nasal fracture.
Staying on active roster, still intent on Asian Games
A club official told Yonhap News that "we will determine Kim Do-young's return timeline after monitoring his recovery," adding, "For now, we do not plan to remove him from the active roster. We will decide when he can resume skills training after seeing his condition following discharge."
Kim has appeared in 122 games this season, batting .306 with 40 home runs, 99 RBIs and 10 stolen bases — performance widely regarded as regular-season MVP caliber.
He was also named to the national baseball team for the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games under manager Ryu Ji-hyun, and had been scheduled to join the squad on the 14th before traveling to Nagoya, Japan, on the 17th. Kim is said to remain determined to compete in the Asian Games despite the injury.
