'Why' is there no 'No. 2 batter Kim Do-young' for KIA? → The manager explained it directly. "I believe the No. 2 spot is extremely important, but..."

*This content was translated by AI.

'Championship master' Lee Beom-ho (45) made his intentions perfectly clear. He explicitly stated that he has no intention of using Kim Do-young (23), who has established himself as the 'best batter in the KBO League', as the No. 2 batter.

The KIA Tigers defeated the Doosan Bears 5-3 in a 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular-season home game held at Gwangju-KIA Champions Field on the 14th.

With this victory, KIA secured back-to-back wins following a loss to Doosan on the 12th, achieving a winning series with two wins and one loss. They now need just one more win to reach a .500 winning percentage with 19 wins, one draw, and 20 losses. The team currently holds sole 5th place in the league standings. Meanwhile, Doosan fell into a two-game losing streak, finishing with 18 wins, one draw, and 21 losses, placing them in a tie for 6th place alongside the Hanwha Eagles.

On this day, KIA fielded a starting lineup consisting of Park Jae-hyun (right fielder), Kim Sun-bin (designated hitter), Kim Do-young (third baseman), Adellin (first baseman), Kim Ho-ryeong (center fielder), Yoon Do-hyun (second baseman), Han Seung-yeon (left fielder), Kim Tae-gun (catcher), and Park Min (shortstop).

It was notable that Kim Do-young, who had primarily batted fourth until recently, was moved up to the third spot in the lineup. Additionally, Adellin, who had hit five home runs in the previous eight games, took the fourth spot.

Before the game, Manager Lee explained the reasoning behind the lineup construction: "I arranged the order based on who hits well, trying to get them an extra turn at bat if possible. I had been considering putting (Kim) Sun-bin in the No. 2 spot for some time. The No. 2 spot has been breaking up the flow recently. Yesterday, (Park) Sang-jun performed well. Today, I arranged it so they can hit more times by pulling the order forward."

KIA's 'second-year' player Park Jae-hyun has been performing his role as leadoff batter at 120% this season. However, it is true that finding a solid No. 2 batter has been a challenge. So, what about 'No. 2 Kim Do-young'?

Regarding this, Manager Lee stated firmly, "I have not considered putting him in the No. 2 spot." With much discussion recently about a 'strong No. 2 batter', the manager certainly could not be unaware of these talks.

Manager Lee said, "I believe the No. 2 spot is extremely important, but baseball is not just about creating opportunities; solving them is most crucial. Even if you create bases-loaded opportunities 10 times, if you cannot score, you lose. That is baseball. I believe we must focus most on the ability to solve situations."

He continued, "If the best hitter faces a situation with no runners on base, the opposing team only needs to give up a solo home run once. There is nothing to fear from that. In fact, I am not entirely sure. When playing baseball, when many opportunities arise, the player who can solve them ultimately earns higher scores."

He further added, "The reason we placed (Kim) Sun-bin at third is that we need to create a situation where (Kim) Do-young gets an opportunity early on to score. Therefore, I do not want to move Kim Do-young up to the No. 2 spot. Park Jae-hyun is currently performing exceptionally well. With Sun-bin moved to the No. 2 spot, and Kim Do-young placed at either third or fourth, I believe this is the most ideal lineup for the team at this moment."

Ultimately, Manager Lee's lineup adjustment proved successful. Although Park Jae-hyun went hitless in five at-bats, No. 2 batter Kim Sun-bin hit a powerful three hits in five at-bats. Kim Do-young also recorded one hit in four at-bats, and Adellin contributed with two hits and two runs scored in four at-bats. Kim Ho-ryeong also fulfilled his role with two hits, one RBI, and one run in four at-bats. Of the team's total 12 hits, eight were produced by the batters in the No. 2, 3, 4, and 5 spots.

After the victory, Manager Lee praised the pitching staff: "Hwang Dong-ha did a great job as the starting pitcher with a quality start (six innings, three earned runs or fewer). He has been shouldering a key role in the starting rotation by pitching six or more innings in three consecutive games. Since Jung Hae-young's return, managing the winning lineup has become much easier. All pitchers who took the mound performed well."

He continued, "I also want to praise the fielding of the position players. Kim Do-young's infield defense and two excellent plays from left field stood out. Han Seung-yeon's throw to second base and Park Jung-woo's diving catch broke the momentum of the opposing offense. Kim Ho-ryeong also performed well both offensively and defensively. Kim Tae-gun, with three hits, not only contributed offensively but also led the pitchers steadily as a catcher." Finally, he said, "All players worked hard, and we will do our best in the away game against Samsung Lions this weekend," vowing for a strong performance.

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*This content was translated by AI.