On the 11th at Changwon NC Park, the NC Dinos are engaged in a dramatic battle against the KT Wiz in a regular season home game of the '2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League.' NC surrendered a go-ahead solo home run to KT's Kim Hyun-soo in the bottom of the 4th inning, but starting pitcher Riley Thomson held the opponent scoreless for five innings, firmly protecting a 3-1 lead.

The performance of Kim Hwi-jip, who started as the 6th hitter and third baseman on this day, also stood out. With two outs and a runner on second in the bottom of the 1st inning, he punched an outside changeup from KT starter Logan Allen into right field for an RBI single (1 RBI), contributing to his team taking a 3-0 lead.

However, while his batting form was coming alive, an unexpected variable occurred during his at-bat in the bottom of the 4th inning. After working a favorable 3-1 count, Kim Hwi-jip took a big swing at Logan Allen's 150 km/h fastball and fouled it off. Even though the ball did not hit him, he complained of sudden pain in his left leg and stepped out of the batter's box.

A trainer immediately came onto the field to check his condition, and after a brief conversation, the NC bench signaled for a substitution. Ultimately, Kim Hwi-jip was replaced by Seo Ho-cheol in the middle of the at-bat and was unable to play in the remainder of the game.

An NC team official stated, "Kim Hwi-jip showed symptoms of a left thigh cramp, so we substituted him for player protection," adding, "There are currently no plans for a separate hospital examination."