'Post-trade slump' Son Ah-seop: 'Groundout→Groundout→Strikeout out'—even in the Futures League, he's facing bitter moments... When will he return to the first division?

*This content was translated by AI.

Son Ah-seop (38, Doosan Bears), who has been sent down to the Futures League to take time for reorganization, is struggling to avoid a difficult stretch.

On the 30th of last month, Son Ah-seop started as the designated hitter in the second spot for Doosan in an away game against Goyang Heroes at Goyang Baseball Stadium in Gyeonggi Province during the 2026 KBO Futures League, but he went hitless in three at-bats.

Son Ah-seop faced his first at-bat in the top of the first inning with no outs and a runner on first base. He grounded out to the second baseman against Goyang's starting pitcher Jung Se-young. In the fourth inning, with leadoff batter Kang Seung-ho reaching on a walk and no outs with a runner on first, Son took his second at-bat. The pitcher still on the mound was Jung Se-young. Once again, Son failed to produce any notable result and bowed his head after grounding out to the pitcher.

Son Ah-seop faced his third at-bat as the leadoff hitter in the top of the sixth inning. With Jung Se-young still pitching, Son struck out and had to wait for another opportunity. While Doosan managed to score three runs in the seventh inning, Son was replaced by Kim Moon-soo before his fourth at-bat, concluding his day at the plate.

This game was Son Ah-seop's first appearance in the Futures League since the 10th of last month. After this game, Son's Futures League statistics stood at a batting average of 0.273 (11 at-bats, 3 hits), 3 runs scored, 1 double, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts, a slugging percentage of 0.364, and an on-base percentage of 0.385.

Son Ah-seop was removed from the first-division roster on the 29th of last month ahead of the Jamsil Samsung Lions game. Although he donned the Doosan uniform anew, he failed to deliver any significant performance. Doosan manager Kim Won-hyung, the team's commander, consistently gave him opportunities, but Son ultimately could not find his form.

Son Ah-seop has recorded the following statistics in 12 first-division games this season: a batting average of 0.111 (36 at-bats, 4 hits), 1 home run, 1 double, 4 RBIs, 5 runs scored, 4 walks, 9 strikeouts, a slugging percentage of 0.222, an on-base percentage of 0.195, an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 0.417, and a batting average with runners in scoring position of 0.125.

Meanwhile, Son Ah-seop joined Doosan via trade on the 14th of last month. At that time, Doosan executed a trade with Hanwha, receiving Son Ah-seop in exchange for pitcher Lee Gyo-hoon and 150 million won in cash.

A Doosan club official explained the background of Son Ah-seop's trade acquisition, stating, "This trade was made to strengthen the team's lineup. Son Ah-seop is a veteran batter with experience ranked among the best in the league. We believe his current skills possess sufficient competitiveness. We expect not only his precision at the plate but also his role as a clubhouse leader from Son Ah-seop."

His performance on the first day he played in a Doosan uniform was remarkable. Son Ah-seop started in the lineup against Incheon SSG Landers wearing the Doosan uniform on the very day the trade was announced. He even hit his first home run of the season that same day, showcasing a multi-hit performance that seemed to display the strength of a thousand troops. Son Ah-seop added another hit in the SSG game on the 15th.

But that was all. After going hitless in four at-bats in the SSG game on the 16th, he went hitless in three at-bats in the KIA Tigers game on the 17th. In the KIA game on the 18th, he recorded one hit and one run in five at-bats, but he bowed his head again after going hitless in four at-bats against Lotte Giants on the 21st. His last hit came in the Lotte game on the 23rd, where he went 1-for-4; he has not produced another hit since. Notably, in the three-game home series against LG at Jamsil, he went hitless in four at-bats, hitless in five at-bats, and hitless in one at-bat, respectively. He also went hitless in one at-bat in the Samsung game on the 28th, and ultimately received notification on the 29th that he was being removed from the first-division roster.

In February, while unable to find a team, Son Ah-seop appeared on the broadcast program "Baseball Legend Im Chan-gyu," honestly and openly sharing his inner thoughts. At that time, Son Ah-seop said, "Honestly, I truly have confidence. Having played for three teams, I have experienced many younger players pushing forward. There are many talented younger players, but frankly, it is not yet overwhelming. If I feel overwhelmed competing with those younger players, I will need to prepare for the next (retirement)."

Of course, the season is still long. Son Ah-seop has played only 11 games since the trade. If he can maximize his hitting form in the Futures League, he may regain his former self. It is said that even during the process of not finding a team over the winter, he did not neglect his training. Will he show good form in the Futures League and return to the first-division stage soon? If Son Ah-seop returns to the first division with good form, Doosan's lineup is expected to become even stronger.

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*This content was translated by AI.