'First career consecutive at-bat home runs' Na Seung-yeop: "I don't look at the standings → We can climb high enough, we haven't even played 70 games yet"

*This content was translated by AI.

"Things haven't been going well recently, so it means even more that I could contribute with a home run in a winning game."

Lotte Giants infielder Na Seung-yeop (24) finally fired the starting gun for his revival. With his first home run of June and his first career consecutive at-bat home runs, he signaled his return to hitting form.

On the 16th, Na Seung-yeop started at first base and batted fifth in the away game against SSG Landers at Incheon SSG Landers Field in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League. He delivered a powerful performance with 5 at-bats, 2 hits (2 home runs), 2 walks, 3 RBIs, and 2 runs scored, playing a key role in the team's 10-6 victory. He achieved a remarkable four-game on-base streak.

Na Seung-yeop, who had been suspended for visiting a casino during the February spring training camp in Taiwan, returned to play starting from the May 5 game against Suwon KT Wiz. He was primarily placed in the fourth spot in the batting order this season. However, on the first day he moved to the fifth spot for the first time this season, he fired the starting gun for escaping his slump.

In a post-game interview, Na Seung-yeop said, "It's true that my recent form wasn't good, and I felt mentally burdened," but he calmly added, "However, I didn't feel like my balance was completely broken like last year, so I had faith that I could gradually climb back up."

Na Seung-yeop revealed that making a slight adjustment to his batting form was key. Under the full support of Manager Kim Tae-hyung and coaches Jung Kyung-bae, Lee Byung-kyu, and Lee Seong-gon, he explained, "I broke the habit of relying solely on power and focused on making concise contact, which led to good results."

Regarding the second home run, he recalled, "It was a 3-ball, 1-strike count, but I didn't think about walking. I was determined to swing aggressively, and at the moment of contact, I instinctively knew it was a home run." He smiled and added, "It's my first multi-home run game in a single game since entering the pros, so I was also conscious of the consecutive at-bat home runs."

He was also full of confidence in the team's turnaround. When asked if he had been checking the team standings recently, Na Seung-yeop firmly replied, "I don't look at the standings these days," then raised his voice, saying, "We haven't even played 70 games yet. Our team has the strength to climb high enough."

When Na Seung-yeop was told that Manager Kim Tae-hyung had praised him before the game, saying, "He seems to be moving around third base defense better than expected," Na Seung-yeop smiled brightly and joked, "Third base defense? If you let me play there, I can do it," but he cheerfully added, "For now, doing my best at my current position, first base, comes first."

Na Seung-yeop also directly stated the positive effect of infielder Han Dong-hee (27), who returned from injury and batted right ahead of him in the fourth spot. He explained, "Having Dong-hee hyung ahead of me made me feel more secure and provided some psychological help."

Finally, Na Seung-yeop bowed his head to the fans who had waited for him silently. He said, "I'm sorry for my recent slump, but I'm glad I was able to overcome it on my own. Now I need to show it through results," and he firmly vowed, "I want to show you winning games often in the future."

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.