'Different from the past when only Kim Tae-gyun and Noh Si-hwan were there' Kang Baek-ho on 2026 Hanwha: "Feels like the KT days"

*This content was translated by AI.

Kang Baek-ho (27), a recent acquisition, also felt the momentum of the Hanwha Eagles, which has found a turning point with its fiery batting.

On the 14th, Hanwha capped off its game against Gochok Kiwoom Heroes with a 10-1 victory, improving its record to 18 wins and 21 losses, bringing it closer to a .500 winning percentage. Starting from the the 5th game against Gwangju KIA Tigers, Hanwha has won three consecutive series, and its winning percentage over the last 10 games is second only to that of Samsung Lions (9 wins, 1 loss).

The turning point is widely attributed to the return of fourth hitter Noh Si-hwan (26). After struggling early in the season, Noh Si-hwan, since returning in the April 23 game against Jamsil LG Twins, has played in 19 games with a batting average of 0.342 (79 at-bats, 27 hits), 7 home runs, 22 RBIs, 21 runs scored, and an OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 1.064, leading the Hanwha lineup.

Since Noh Si-hwan's return, Hanwha has displayed overwhelming offensive power, ranking first in team batting average (0.295), home runs (30), RBIs (121), on-base percentage (0.380), and slugging percentage (0.477), reducing the gap with fifth-place KIA Tigers (19 wins, 1 draw, 20 losses) to just one game.

When recently met in Daejeon, Kang Baek-ho responded to the effect of Noh Si-hwan's return: "(Noh) Si-hwan is doing well. When you sign a big contract, there is inevitably a sense of responsibility that comes with it, so you can't avoid feeling pressure during games, but his batting is not bad at all."

He continued, "Si-hwan's strength is his ability to change the team's atmosphere, and I think he is fulfilling his role well. My role is different; I want to be a player who can relieve some of Si-hwan's burden and be someone he can rely on. If we do that, I think our team will flow better."

Kang Baek-ho is already fulfilling that role 100%. Over the same period, he has played in 19 games with a batting average of 0.397 (73 at-bats, 29 hits), 4 home runs, 18 RBIs, and an OPS of 1.138, leading the team in batting average and ranking second in OPS, firmly anchoring the lineup. This performance meets Hanwha's expectations after signing Kang Baek-ho as a free agent for a four-year, 100 billion won contract before the season.

Kang Baek-ho said, "I don't think my recent RBI pace has been bad. My physical condition is good, but I need to hit with more power." He added, "The team itself seems to have gained a good atmosphere. I wanted to be a player who could lead the good atmosphere after joining the team, and it seems that part is coming out well. Even without (Chae) Eun-seong, (Kim) Tae-yeon and the players in the middle are doing so well that we are overcoming things without much burden."

Kang Baek-ho is one of the very few Hanwha players to have experienced a Korean Series championship. After graduating from Bucheon North Elementary, Seoul Isu Middle, and Seoul High, he was selected as the first overall pick in the second round of the 2018 KBO Rookie Draft by KT Wiz and is now in his ninth season.

He gained attention from his rookie season when he won the Rookie of the Year award, and in 2021, he led KT to its first regular-season first place and a Korean Series championship. During his time with KT, the team grew into a regular playoff contender, making the postseason for five consecutive years without any standout star players.

The explanation from the genius hitter is that the atmosphere of KT, which was once like that, is now being felt in Hanwha. Regarding the recent team atmosphere, Kang Baek-ho said, "One of the reasons our team has been doing well is that, just like the two of us (Kang Baek-ho and Noh Si-hwan), the players behind us have played really well. We are relying on each other, and it feels like we are watching a game from a strong team. When I look at the games played by the position players, it reminds me of the KT days I was part of in the past."

It is also a clear departure from the past Hanwha, which relied heavily on specific players like Kim Tae-gyun (44) and Noh Si-hwan. Kang Baek-ho stated, "It was the same with the KIA series; no one player did everything, but everyone did what was needed when it was needed. Without anyone feeling they had to be the sole resolver, everyone is taking responsibility to connect and solve problems. That's why the current Hanwha feels like a team I can look forward to next week and the week after."

In fact, this year Hanwha has shown a different dynamic from other teams that rely on specific players due to fierce internal competition for home runs. Kang Baek-ho and Heo In-seo each have 8 home runs, while Noh Si-hwan and Moon Hyun-bin each have 7, placing four Hanwha players in the top 10 for home runs, while foreign hitter Yonatan Peraza trails with 6.

Kang Baek-ho responded, "The number of home runs is not really important. I am not a home run hitter, but (Heo) In-seo, (Moon) Hyun-bin, (Noh) Si-hwan, and Peraza are all doing too well. Those players need to hit more for us to win."

He added, "I am now in my ninth season, and there is a clear difference between strong and weak teams as players feel it. Baseball is a sport that is heavily influenced by atmosphere. The atmosphere changes with every scene, with every player contributing and scoring additional runs. In that regard, the recent game content has been very satisfying since I came to Hanwha. I want to express my sincere gratitude to my teammates for doing so well."

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*This content was translated by AI.