"Why Is the God of Baseball Facing Such an Ordeal?" KIM Do-young Breaks His Nasal Bone After Being Struck by His Own Bunt, Then Breaks Down in Tears After Hitting the Ground

[Financial News]  A thunderbolt of bad news has struck the Tigers, who had been charging toward the highest heights as autumn approached. KIM Do-young, the absolute heart of the Tigers’ lineup and the star hitter who has launched 40 home runs in the league, suffered a serious injury after being struck in the face by a foul ball off his own bunt attempt during a game.
The accident occurred on the 9th during a home game against the NC Dinos in the 2026 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League at Gwangju-KIA Champions Field. With the game tied 0-0 in the bottom of the fourth and no outs with a runner on first, KIM Do-young stepped into the batter’s box and attempted a surprise bunt against NC starter Song Myeong-gi’s 148-kilometer-per-hour first-pitch fastball.
However, the fastball caught the end of the bat and popped up, with the foul ball striking KIM Do-young directly in the face. He collapsed on the spot with a nosebleed, receiving emergency treatment from a trainer while complaining of severe pain. Unable to continue batting after the injury, KIM Do-young appeared to blame himself in anger, kicking the ground. He was eventually replaced by pinch-hitter Park Min and left the field.
KIM Do-young was immediately taken to the team-designated hospital, where he underwent detailed examinations, including X-rays and a CT scan. Medical staff diagnosed him with a nasal bone fracture.
A KIA Tigers official said, "A detailed examination confirmed a nasal bone fracture. We will determine his treatment and return schedule after carefully reassessing the specialist’s opinion and the extent of the player’s swelling." The official added, "We understand that the injury is not extremely serious or at a level that raises concerns about him missing the rest of the season. For now, we need to monitor his condition for several days."

As the club explained, KIM Do-young appears to have avoided the worst-case scenario of missing the rest of the season. However, given that he suffered a fracture involving a crack in the bone, he will be unable to play normally for the time being. Because of the location of the injury, he needs sufficient time for the swelling and pain to subside and the bone to heal. The vibrations caused by hitting and running the bases must also be considered, so his return is expected to take a considerable amount of time.
This is a devastating blow to the Kia Tigers, who are staking everything on the standings battle at the end of the regular season. 
KIA is currently mounting an all-out effort to secure the ticket for direct advancement to the semifinals, aggressively pursuing the third-place LG Twins, who are just 0.5 games ahead. KIM Do-young had struck fear into opposing pitchers with his 40 home runs, and his absence is tantamount to losing half of the team’s offensive power at once. With the national team’s call-up scheduled for mid-September also approaching, the coaching staff’s concerns are bound to deepen.
The league’s premier slugger has fallen to an unexpected injury while attempting a bunt. At the most brutal juncture of the race for third place, with the team’s fate hanging in the balance, the Kia Tigers now face their greatest crisis: navigating the approach to autumn without KIM Do-young.
[email protected] Jeon Sang-il Reporter