*This content was translated by AI.
Park Seong-han (28, SSG Landers) has broken a KBO League record that had stood for 44 years. This is not merely about a consecutive-game hit streak. Park is displaying a stature entirely different from anything seen before.
On the 21st, Park started as the leadoff hitter and shortstop in an away game against Samsung Lions at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League, recording a leadoff hit in the top of the first inning.
He smashed a 144 km/h fastball from opposing starter Choi Won-tae's first pitch, sending the ball toward right field. With this hit, Park extended his consecutive-game hit streak to 19 games, dating back to the season opener against KIA Tigers on the 28th of last month through today.
This is a new KBO League record. The previous record was 18 consecutive games, set by Kim Yong-hee, then a manager of Lotte Giants' minor league team, while playing for Lotte in the league's inaugural year in 1982. Today's hit allowed Park Seong-han to write new history.
This also marks Park's career-longest consecutive-game hit streak. Park had recorded 18 consecutive hits from the September 11, 2024 game against Incheon Lotte through the March 28, 2025 game against Gocheok Kiwoom Heroes. On the 19th, he tied both Kim Yong-hee's record and his own previous best, but today he surpassed both records.
Park Seong-han is one of the hottest hitters this season. Selected by SK Wyverns (the predecessor of SSG) as the 16th overall pick in the second round of the 2017 rookie draft, Park spent his first two seasons with the team, served his mandatory military service in the Army Baseball Team (Marine Corps), and returned in 2020.
Park immediately secured a starting position and posted a .300 batting average over the following two seasons, though he experienced some ups and downs last year with a .274 batting average.
However, since being used as the leadoff hitter in the latter half of the season, he has actually boosted his hitting form and has established himself as SSG's undisputed leadoff hitter this season. Relying on his excellent on-base percentage, he earned absolute trust from manager Lee Seung-yong. Unlike last year when he felt somewhat burdened, Park has now emerged as the league's strongest leadoff hitter.
The first hit in the first inning was just the beginning. After reaching on a walk in the third inning, Park hit a perfect sacrifice fly to right field in the fourth inning with two outs and the bases loaded, bringing in the runner from third to tie the game. In the seventh inning, he led off the inning with a hit, reaching base and contributing to a tying run when Guillermo Heredia doubled.
Leading off the ninth inning, Park struck out, becoming the only time in five plate appearances that day he failed to reach base. Yet, in the most critical moment of extra innings, he delivered a run for his team. With one out and a runner on second, he did not miss a mistimed fastball on the third pitch from Yura Miyaji, sending the ball to center field and scoring Otakgon with a go-ahead hit.
Today, Park soared with 3 hits in 4 at-bats, 1 walk, 2 RBIs, and 1 run scored. Over 19 games, he is batting .486 (70 at-bats, 34 hits), with 1 home run, 9 doubles, 1 triple, 19 RBIs, 16 runs scored, 3 stolen bases (0 caught stealing), 17 walks, 7 strikeouts, a .584 on-base percentage, a .686 slugging percentage, and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 1.270. His batting average with runners in scoring position is an astounding .600.
He is already on his way to a batting triple crown with batting average, most hits, and on-base percentage, while also leading in non-award categories like OPS and batting average with runners in scoring position. Although he has only one home run, his slugging percentage ranks second, and despite being a leadoff hitter, his RBI total is third. His run total is eighth, but only three runs behind the leader. This is an incredible pace for a non-power hitter to even challenge for the batting six crowns.
This is one of the major reasons SSG, which currently sits fifth in team batting average at .268, can compete for a top spot.
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*This content was translated by AI.
