'2G consecutive home runs' Lee Beom-ho's expectations and advice for Byun Woo-hyeok: "A player who will do better → needs more ambition at the plate"

*This content was translated by AI.

KIA Tigers manager Lee Beom-ho offered praise along with a sincere message of advice to infielder Byun Woo-hyeok (26), who has been showcasing sharp batting form with consecutive home runs in his last two games.

KIA announced its starting lineup ahead of its away game against Kiwoom Heroes at Seoul's Gocheok Sky Dome on the 24th for the '2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League'. The batting order was set as follows: Park Jae-hyun (left fielder), Kim Ho-ryeong (center fielder), Kim Do-young (third baseman), Na Sung-beom (right fielder), Castro (designated hitter), Han Jun-soo (catcher), Byun Woo-hyeok (first baseman), Kim Gyu-seong (second baseman), and Park Min (shortstop). The starting pitcher is left-handed pitcher Yang Hyeon-jong.

Byun Woo-hyeok, who contributed to the team's victory with a powerful home run the previous day (23rd), was also named in the starting lineup as the seventh batter and first baseman. Having hit consecutive home runs in his last two games and demonstrating peak power-hitting ability, he has clearly earned manager Lee Beom-ho's deep trust.

In a pre-game meeting with reporters, manager Lee Beom-ho began by calling Byun Woo-hyeok "a player who will do well in the future," then added, "He needs to have more ambition when stepping into the batter's box," urging greater aggressiveness as a hitter.

Manager Lee Beom-ho continued, "Home runs are not the only advantage in baseball. He needs to drive in runs when the situation calls for it and draw walks when that's the right play," emphasizing the importance of flexible decision-making based on game situations. Particularly noting Byun Woo-hyeok's relatively slower speed, he added, "Rather than trying to hit something no matter what, he needs to get on base by seeing the ball and hit when he can, so that his batting average can remain consistently at that level," also stressing the importance of steady batting average management based on his keen eye.

At the same time, he gave high marks to Byun Woo-hyeok's value as a versatile infield resource. Manager Lee Beom-ho stated, "He is a friend with excellent defense and also has punch. From the team's perspective, he is a very good option because he can play both first base and third base," leaving no room for praise.

In the midst of a fierce season-long race for standings, managing the physical condition of starting players is essential. Manager Lee said, "If Byun Woo-hyeok steps in to fill the spot when players like (Kim) Do-young or others need rest, I think he could find himself in a more advantageous position than other players on the roster," expressing his expectation that Byun Woo-hyeok will become a key figure in the team's infield going forward.

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*This content was translated by AI.