"My comments will be brief": Leadership worth over 8 billion won, caring for "a junior who has lost confidence" — "I probably wanted to greet the fans" [Jamsil On-site]

*This content was translated by AI.

"I'll keep it brief and pass the microphone to Oh Myung-jin."

The veteran, who hit a clutch two-run double and reached base four times, praised his junior teammate. It is immediately clear why the Doosan Bears invested a massive sum of up to 8 billion won over four years to sign Park Chan-ho (31) as a free agent.

On the 19th, Park Chan-ho started at second base and shortstop in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League home game against the NC Dinos at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium. He went 2-for-2 with two walks, three RBIs, and two runs scored, leading the team to a decisive 9-3 victory.

Park Chan-ho started on a high note with a large double to left-center field in the first inning. In the third, he drew a walk to fine-tune his rhythm. In the fifth, he led off again, reached base with another walk, and also scored. His performance in the sixth inning was decisive. With the bases loaded following a walk by Kim Min-seok, a double by Oh Myung-jin, and a walk by Park Ji-hoon, the inning was about to end without a run after a fielder's choice grounder to the second baseman by Jung So-bin, which left the runner at home. Instead, Park hit a large double to left-center field, bringing all runners home. This effectively decided the game.

Doosan added two more runs afterward and secured a comfortable victory despite allowing two runs.

The standout performer of the day was Choi Min-seok, who pitched seven innings allowing one unearned run and earned his fourth consecutive win. In the lineup, Park Chan-ho's performance was undoubtedly the most impressive.

After the game, General Manager Kim Won-hyeong praised Park Chan-ho, saying, "Park hit a bases-clearing double with the bases loaded, which allowed the team to seize the momentum."

Speaking at the podium interview in front of home fans, Park Chan-ho shared his thoughts on the victory while saying, "Oh Myung-jin played really well," gesturing toward him from the bench and calling out, "Come here." He continued, "Myung-jin played so well, and since he hasn't been able to play many games recently, he probably wanted to greet the fans. Since I haven't done a podium interview even once this season, I'll keep my comments brief and pass the microphone to Myung-jin."

Oh Myung-jin's performance was indeed shining. With Park Jun-soon, the team's top performer, sidelined due to a hamstring injury, Oh Myung-jin stepped into the second baseman's role and went 3-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored, showcasing his best batting form of the season. However, it is extremely rare for a player to yield their interview opportunity to another. This moment reveals just how diligently Park Chan-ho cares for his junior teammates.

Receiving the microphone amid the fans' enthusiastic cheers, Oh Myung-jin said, "It's been a while since I played, and I feel good that I could contribute to the team's victory. I will work hard every time I get the chance." He added, "I couldn't play many games in the early part of the season, and my confidence dropped significantly. I will strive to become an even better player, using today as a turning point."

Park Chan-ho even organized a mini-camp with his junior teammates in Okinawa, Japan, ahead of the season. At that time, he said, "The amount the team invested in me includes the portion for taking care of juniors off the field," and he has been more sincere than anyone else in fulfilling that role throughout the season.

After coming down from the podium, Park Chan-ho conveyed through the team, "Oh Myung-jin and Park Ji-hoon have both played well. We even went to Okinawa, Japan, for a mini-camp ahead of spring training. I was confident from that time that these two would do well." He added, "I advised them not to be impatient even if good results didn't come immediately, and now I'm happy to see their efforts slowly bearing fruit," encouraging his junior teammates.

Regarding Park Jun-soon, who was absent due to injury, Park Chan-ho said, "Jun-soon had to leave temporarily due to an unfortunate injury, but I hope he returns having prepared well with the awareness that 'my position can be replaced at any time.' It's enjoyable to play baseball with Jun-soon. I hope he recovers quickly and returns soon."

Park Chan-ho, who said, "I'm happy that the team can continue its winning streak," commented on his sixth-inning at-bat situation: "I trusted myself and swung, resulting in a good outcome. I felt my batting form wasn't bad today, and I was confident. Although recent results haven't been great, batting follows a cycle, so I think it's finally time for me to hit well. I believe my condition will start to improve from this week."

Finally, he did not forget the fans. He pledged, "I am grateful to the Doosan Bears fans who always support us. I will strive to become a player who meets the fans' expectations."

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*This content was translated by AI.