A day after his 40th home run, Kim Do-yeong is injured with a suspected nasal bone fracture as KIA lose 4-5
In the bottom of the 4th inning against NC in Gwangju on September 9, Kim Do-yeong was hit in the face by his own bunt. The exam results indicated a nasal bone fracture. KIA lost 4-5.
Translated from Korean with AI assistance. Read the original. Sources and original publication dates are retained.
Summary in three lines
- Kim Do-yeong (22) was hit in the face by his own surprise bunt in the bottom of the 4th inning against NC on September 9 and was replaced by Park Min
- Hospital X-ray and CT exams indicated a nasal bone fracture, and the club said, "It is not very serious"
- The day before the injury, he hit his 40th home run of the season; he leads the league in home runs, 4 ahead of second-place Austin (36)
Just the night before, celebratory fireworks had gone off in Daegu. In the top of the 6th inning against Samsung on September 8, Kim Do-yeong's bat produced his 40th solo home run of the season. It was the first 40-homer single season by a Korean-born player in Tigers franchise history. A day later, in Gwangju, he dropped to the ground after being hit in the face by a ball off his own bat.
How Kim Do-yeong got hurt: a day turned upside down by one surprise bunt in the bottom of the 4th
September 9, Gwangju-KIA Champions Field. Seoul Shinmun reported that Kim Do-yeong tried a surprise bunt with no outs and a runner on first in the bottom of the 4th, was hit in the face by his own batted ball, and was immediately replaced by Park Min. KIA said, "Kim Do-yeong's bleeding has stopped for now," and announced that X-ray and CT exams were planned, according to Newsis. The exam results were a suspected nasal bone fracture.
The club explained the same day that "it is not very serious," Money Today reported. Whether he will have surgery or conservative treatment has not yet been decided. The club's position is that it will decide on the treatment after confirming the doctor's findings, so how long he will be out depends on further announcements. OSEN projected that, because the condition is not serious, his joining the Asian Games national team on September 14 would likely not be derailed.
Kim Do-yeong leads with 40 home runs, 4 ahead of second-place Austin
The game ended in a 4-5 loss for KIA. Park Min (25), who came in for Kim Do-yeong, also suffered a shoulder dislocation, Gwangju Ilbo reported. After this game, KIA stayed in 4th place at 66 wins, 54 losses and 2 ties, with a winning percentage of 0.550. With the team chasing 3rd-place LG, the loss of a middle-of-the-order hitter immediately becomes a variable in the standings race.
His availability for the rest of the regular season and the home run race also depends on how the injury progresses. As of 07:00 on September 10, 2026, in official KBO records, Kim Do-yeong is first with 40 home runs, and second is LG's Austin (32) with 36 home runs. The gap is 4. That Austin is also leading in RBIs this year, with a .341 average and 115 RBIs in 124 games.
2026 KBO Home Run TOP 5 (as of 07:00 on 2026.09.10)
| Rank | Player | Home Runs | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kim Do-yeong | 40 | KIA |
| 2 | Austin | 36 | LG |
| 3 | Hilliard | 32 | KT |
| 4 | Kang Baek-ho | 30 | Hanwha |
| 5 | No Si-hwan | 27 | Hanwha |
Kim Do-yeong's salary is 250 million won, and he hit 40 home runs in a pay-cut season
Born on October 2, 2003, he is 22 by international age. He joined KIA as a first-round pick in 2022 with a signing bonus of 400 million won and is a one-club man. In 2024, he won the MVP and the Golden Glove at third base, batting 0.347 with 38 home runs and 40 stolen bases in 141 games. The following year was the problem. A hamstring injury limited him to 30 games, and the club cut his 2026 salary by 50%, from 500 million won to 250 million won.
In that pay-cut season, he put up a 0.306 average, 40 home runs, 99 RBIs, 105 runs scored, and a 1.046 OPS in 122 games. His 105 runs scored lead the league, and his 99 RBIs rank 5th. The 40 home runs in a season in which his salary was halved are a career high, surpassing his 38 home runs in 2024.
Only one fork in the road remains: whether the nasal bone fracture leads to surgery or conservative treatment. Both his time out and his place on the national team depend on that decision. What is confirmed is the record so far. In 122 games, 40 home runs, 99 RBIs, 105 runs scored, and a 4-homer gap to second place (as of 07:00 on 2026.09.10).
Frequently asked questions
Q. How were Kim Do-yeong's injured area and the fracture confirmed?
After being hit in the face by his own bunt in the bottom of the 4th inning against NC on September 9, he underwent X-ray and CT exams at a hospital, which indicated a nasal bone fracture. The club said the bleeding had stopped and that "it is not very serious," but whether he will have surgery has not yet been decided.
Q. What is Kim Do-yeong's salary?
His 2026 salary is 250 million won. That is a 50% cut from 500 million won in 2025, the result of his playing only 30 games last year because of a hamstring injury. His signing bonus on joining the club was 400 million won.
Q. How many games has Kim Do-yeong played, and what are his numbers this season?
As of September 10, 2026, he has played in 122 games and recorded a 0.306 average, 40 home runs, 99 RBIs, 105 runs scored, and a 1.046 OPS. He ranks 1st in the league in home runs and runs scored and 5th in RBIs.
Related official sites
- KBO official website — the league's official information page
- KBO official player records for Kim Do-yeong — original data such as salary and career statistics
- KBO player rankings TOP 5 — rankings in home runs, RBIs and runs scored
- KIA Tigers official website — official club notices and team news
Featured image · Photo = Pexels (Charlss GonzHu)
Related reading
· "The X-ray was fine"… Curtis Mead's wrist injury confirmed as a bruise, not a fracture
· "My body is at 100%"… Kim Do-yeong's 30 home runs, and the 31st is not in the official KBO records
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