*This content was translated by AI.
Song Sung-moon (30, San Diego Padres) made a hit again, but he couldn't laugh in defense.
Song Sung-moon started as the seventh batter and third baseman in the 2026 Major League Baseball (MLB) exhibition game against the Athletics at Peoria Stadium in Arizona on the 3rd (Korea time) and recorded one hit, one strikeout and one mistake in two at-bats.
Song Sung-moon, who failed to get a hit in three consecutive games until the San Francisco Giants game on the 2nd, started the upward trend again by reporting a hit on the day.
With this, Song's batting average in exhibition games rose from 0.167 to 0.214 (3 hits in 14 at-bats). The on-base percentage was 0.353, the slugging percentage was 0.214 and the on-base percentage (OPS) was 0.567.
Song Sung-moon struck out three pitches against Mason Barnett in his first at-bat with two outs and third base in the bottom of the second inning. Song Sung-moon, who watched the first pitch strike, swung and missed on a two-pitch high ball and struck out on a 94 mph (151.3 km) high fastball that flew higher from the unfavorable ball count.
He played a disappointing defense in the top of the third inning. The team caught Junior Perez's ordinary ground ball with two outs and runners on the first and third bases when the team was losing 0-5, and quickly sprayed the ball to the first base, but the throw missed the side and in the meantime, Nick Castejanos' foot, which was trying to catch the ball, fell from the first base, making it safe. It was recorded as a throwing error by Song Sung-moon.
Song Sung-moon's first error in the exhibition game allowed an additional run, and San Diego finished the inning only after giving up another run.
Song made up for it with a hit in his second at-bat. In the bottom of the fifth inning, he hit Luis Medina's first pitch fastball of 97.6 miles (157.1 kilometers) per hour with one out and one on the first base and hit in front of center field.
Castejanos, who was at first base, headed to second base, and Medina's wild pitch came out, making runners on second and third bases with one out. When Freddie Fermin grounded out to second base, third baseman Castejanos headed home. Song Sung-moon, who took third base, failed to score due to the failure of subsequent batters.
After finishing two at-bats, Song Sung-moon finished the game by replacing Clay Dungan after finishing the bottom of the fifth inning.
Song Sung-moon, who had the best performance in the KBO League the past two seasons, had his best season, especially winning the Golden Glove and Defense Award as a third baseman last year. During the season, he hit a six-year, non-FA multi-year contract jackpot of 12 billion won, but he headed to San Diego for four years and $15 million (about 21.9 billion won) through posting after the end of the season.
A situation in which a certain starting position cannot be guaranteed. Song Sung-moon, who must surely prove his value in exhibition games, is slowly raising his senses. He was excluded from the national team due to side pain, but there seems to be no major problem in his physical condition.
Meanwhile, San Diego recovered a point with Jace Bowen's solo shot in the bottom of the ninth inning, but failed to close the gap between the scores and lost 2-7.
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*This content was translated by AI.
