*This content was translated by AI.
Even in the early part of the season, an unexpected name has been etched onto the throne of the KBO League home run 'king'. 'The lady of the house', Jang Sung-woo (36, KT Wiz), is that person. Jang Sung-woo became the batter with the most home runs in the league with his 6th home run of the season. Despite his FA (free agent) contract being signed a bit late ahead of the season, he is already showcasing his true value.
On the 17th, Jang Sung-woo started as the cleanup hitter and catcher in the home game against the Kiwoom Heroes at the Suwon KT Wiz Park, going 2-for-3 with 1 home run, 1 walk, 1 RBI, and 2 runs scored. With Jang Sung-woo's outstanding performance leading the way, KT secured a 5-0 shutout victory, closing in on the top-ranked Samsung Lions.
The momentum shift began with Jang Sung-woo's bat. In the bottom of the first inning with two outs and no runners on base, Jang Sung-woo stepped up to the plate and did not miss the third pitch, a high fastball from Kiwoom starter Nathan Wills, sending it soaring. It was a massive solo arc covering 125.3 meters.
With this home run, Jang Sung-woo recorded his 6th of the season, surpassing formidable sluggers such as Kim Do-young (KIA Tigers), Reyes (Lotte Giants), and Austin (LG Twins—all with 5 home runs) to take sole possession of first place in the home run category. He also added an RBI, tying Hanwha Eagles' Kang Baek-ho for first place in RBIs with 19.
Especially on this day, Jang Sung-woo, despite not being a designated hitter but playing as a catcher, perfectly fulfilled the role of the 'feared cleanup hitter'. Jang Sung-woo's current stats include a batting average of 0.305 and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 1.103. Notably, he has demonstrated remarkable clutch ability, with more RBIs (19) than hits (18). His batting average with runners in scoring position stands at 0.300, and his batting average as a pinch hitter is 0.500, showcasing his peak hitting form.
The secret lies in 'physical conditioning' and 'concentration'. This season, KT has adopted a strategy to maximize its offense by assigning some catching duties to newly acquired free agent Han Seung-taek and utilizing Jang Sung-woo as a designated hitter. After the game, Jang Sung-woo expressed satisfaction with his changed role, stating "that going in as a designated hitter gave me the opportunity to analyze opposing pitchers during the game".
Adding to this, the performances of free agent signings such as Kim Hyun-soo and Choi Won-jun have created what is known as the 'umbrella effect'. Jang Sung-woo credited his teammates, saying "since other batters are doing well ahead of me, I am getting good opportunities".
Ahead of this season, Jang Sung-woo signed a two-year, 1.6 billion won FA contract with KT on the 20th, just before departing for spring training. At the time of the contract, there were various opinions regarding the late signing timing and the size of the deal, but now that the details are out, evaluations suggest there is no better 'generous deal' than this. The expression is a reference to the 'Kim Hye-ja bento', a symbol of cost-effectiveness from a popular convenience store, implying that the value offered far exceeds the price.
Regarding this, Jang Sung-woo recalled, "It wasn't intentional, and I wasn't really worried about the contract. After the FA market opened, they told me to take it slow since we would be together anyway, so I wasn't concerned. I thought I would definitely go to camp and continue from there. So, even though I hadn't signed a contract yet, being named captain was fine".
For the KT organization, a catcher who is simultaneously leading the league in home runs and RBIs with an average annual salary of around 800 million won is the ideal scenario. Jang Sung-woo downplayed his position at the top of the home run list, calling it "just a passing spot", but his bat is burning hotter than ever before.
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*This content was translated by AI.
