SSG Landers slugger Choi Jeong bends over in pain after he was hit in the rib by a ball thrown by Kia Tigers starter Wil Crowe during a match between SSG Landers and Kia Tigers at Incheon SSG Landers Field in Incheon, Wednesday. Yonhap

A home run away from setting the Korean baseball record, SSG Landers slugger Choi Jeong exited Wednesday's game with a rib injury after getting hit by a pitch in his trip to the plate.

With two outs in the bottom of the first inning against the Kia Tigers, Choi took a 0-1 two-seam fastball from starter Wil Crowe to his left rib.

Choi immediately bent over in obvious pain and gingerly walked to first base. Choi couldn't straighten up even after reaching the bag and was promptly lifted for pinch runner Park Ji-hwan.

The Landers said Choi was taken to a nearby hospital for further tests.

SSG Landers slugger Choi Jeong is supported by a team staff member after getting hit in the rib by a ball thrown by Kia Tigers starter Wil Crowe during a match between SSG Landers and Kia Tigers at the Incheon SSG Landers Field in Incheon, Wednesday. Yonhap

Choi entered this game with 467 career home runs, tied with former Samsung Lions star Lee Seung-yuop for most in Korea Baseball Organization history.

Choi's abrupt exit from the game seemed to take the air out of fans at Incheon SSG Landers Field in Incheon, just west of Seoul.

The Landers will offer a gift package to the fan who catches Choi's record-breaking home run, including two season tickets for the remainder of the 2024 season and the entire 2025 season, a bat signed by Choi and a "Free Drinks for a Year" voucher for Starbucks. (Yonhap)