'Was it too hasty to exclude the national team?' SD Song Sung-moon has already adapted to ML → On-base percentage of 0.417 for 2G consecutive hits in pilot games [MLB]

*This content was translated by AI.

Did I make a decision too soon. Song Sung-moon (30, San Diego Padres), who was excluded from the baseball national team due to injury, hit consecutive games in Major League Baseball (MLB) exhibition games.

Song Sung-moon started as the eighth batter and third baseman in the 2026 MLB exhibition game against the Colorado Rockies at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Scottsdale, Arizona on the 28th (Korea time) and played 1 hit and 1 point in 3 at-bats.

Song Sung-moon, who had one hit, two walks, one run and three bases in two at-bats, including his first hit in an exhibition game against the Cincinnati Reds the previous day, increased his chances of registering as an opening roster with two consecutive hits.

Song Sung-moon, who made his KBO League debut in the 2015 season, has not received much attention in 10 years. He rebounded completely with a batting average of 0.340 19 home runs and 104 RBIs in the 2024 season, and became the league's best hitter last year with a batting average of 0.315 26 home runs, 90 RBIs, 103 runs and 25 steals, an on-base percentage of 0.387, a slugging percentage of 0.530, and an OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 0.917.

Due to Song Sung-moon's outstanding performance, the Kiwoom Heroes signed a six-year, non-FA multi-year contract worth 12 billion won during the season to secure safety, and after the end of the season, they won the third baseman Golden Glove and the defense award for the first time in their careers, increasing their value.

MLB also showed great interest in Song Sung-moon, who was reborn as a complete hitter. It came to the market through posting, and SD recruited Song Sung-moon for four years and 15 million dollars (about 21.6 billion won).

He was also listed in the preliminary entry for the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) and was expected to be an opportunity to promote the value of Song Sung-moon ahead of the opening of the season, but he was hampered by his injury.

During batting training in Korea, he was diagnosed by a hospital that he needed more than four weeks to resume training and received intensive treatment at the Ijima Treatment Center in Yokohama, Japan.

The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) made a quick decision. "Song Sung-moon and Kim Ha-sung have been confirmed not to participate in the World Baseball Classic (WBC) due to injuries," he said on the 19th of last month. In the end, Song Sung-moon headed to Arizona, USA, the site of the San Diego spring camp, after completing his treatment.

Fortunately, it doesn't appear to have been a major injury. Song Sung-moon, who quickly melted into the team, played as a pinch hitter in the first game, but started as the fourth batter and third baseman against the Chicago Cubs on the 25th and drew his first hit against Cincinnati on the 27th. In the top of the sixth inning, Graham Ashcraft hit a terrifying cutter of 96.5 miles (155.3 kilometers) per hour to create a hit.

He had a hit from his first at-bat on the day. Song Sung-moon, who was the first batter in the top of the third inning when he faced 0-0, watched the first strike against the changed pitcher Juan Mejia, swung and missed on a fastball with a ball count of 1-1, and cut a slider with four pitches lower. He then hit a cutter again this time, hitting a hit in front of the right field, 89.7 miles (144.3 kilometers) per hour, falling five pitches low.

With walks by Luis Campusano and Jackson Merrill, Song Sung-moon headed home for Manny Machado's sacrifice fly to right field.

Song Sung-moon, who struck out swinging in the fifth inning and grounded out to shortstop in the seventh inning with no outs, was replaced by Jose Miranda ahead of the defense in the bottom of the seventh inning. His performance in exhibition games was 0.222 (two hits in nine at-bats) in four games, three walks and two runs and four strikeouts. The on-base percentage is a whopping 0.417.

The national team is bound to suffer from Song Sung-moon's absence, which shows how he quickly adapts to the big leagues. The third base of the national team is expected to be led by Korean big leaguer Shay Witcom (Houston), along with Noh Si-hwan (Hanwha) and Kim Do-young (KIA).

Meanwhile, San Diego lost 2-3 after a walk-off home run by Jack Bean in the bottom of the ninth inning.

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*This content was translated by AI.