Will Jamsil's final year resolve LG's two long-standing goals in a single swing? MVP-mode Austin explodes with home runs against all teams, surging to sole first place

*This content was translated by AI.

In the final year at Jamsil Baseball Stadium, LG Twins may finally resolve two long-standing goals. Foreign hitter Austin Dean (33) is driving toward a historic first for the LG franchise with his powerful home run barrage.

On the 24th, at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium in a regular-season home game against the Samsung Lions in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League, Austin went 2-for-3 with one home run, one RBI, and one run scored, leading LG to a 2-0 victory.

He made his presence felt in every at-bat. In the bottom of the fourth inning with the score tied 0-0 and one out, Austin stepped up to the plate. Earlier, leadoff hitter Park Hae-min had hit a double but failed to steal third base, dampening the momentum. However, Austin ignored that and lifted a five-pitch inside sweeper from Jack O'Clarin over the left-field wall. It was his 22nd home run of the season, traveling 127.5 meters.

With this, Austin pulled two games ahead of Kim Do-young (23, KIA Tigers) to take sole possession of the home run lead. He also became the first KBO player this year to hit a home run against every team, displaying an MVP aura that transcends team rivalries.

In his next at-bat, his focus and instinct shone through. In the bottom of the sixth inning with one out and a runner on first, Austin hit a powerful ball toward right field. Samsung right fielder Park Seung-gyu failed to catch the ball immediately. Park Hae-min and Austin seized the opportunity, advancing to third and second base, respectively. Following that, Moon Bo-kyung hit a fly ball to left field, creating an additional run.

Thanks to this, starting pitcher Anders Tollhurst earned his eighth win (five losses) of the season with six innings, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out five, all without allowing a run. Another reliever, Yassel Lios, also came in during the bottom of the ninth inning, pitched a scoreless inning, and recorded his first KBO save.

After the game, Austin said, "I want to congratulate Tollhurst first. He pitched really well in such an important game, and I'm satisfied that we could secure a victory in such a lively atmosphere."

He continued, "Hitting a home run against every team is a great record, but rather than focusing on that, I tried to make strong contact in every at-bat, and luckily a home run came out. If those home runs can help the team win, I'm fully satisfied with that."

Through today's game, Austin has posted a .347 batting average (99 hits in 285 at-bats), 22 home runs, 66 RBIs, 59 runs scored, and two stolen bases in 73 games. His on-base percentage is .422, slugging percentage .653, and OPS (on-base plus slugging) 1.075. In scoring position, his batting average is .390, demonstrating top-tier performance in the league. He leads the league in home runs and slugging percentage, ranks second in RBIs, third in hits and runs scored, and fifth in on-base percentage, placing him among the league leaders in most batting categories and making him a strong MVP candidate.

Until now, LG has been a KBO franchise that has never produced a regular-season league MVP or a home run champion. While playing at the vast Jamsil Baseball Stadium was a factor, the lack of consistently impactful players also played a significant role. Austin is seen as a candidate to quench LG's thirst. He possesses the power to hit over 20 home runs with a batting average above .300 for four consecutive seasons, along with exceptional clutch ability.

The manager is also sincere about making Austin the MVP. Yeom Kyung-yeop, LG's manager, said ahead of the the 17th game against KIA in Gwangju, "I want Austin to win the MVP. Our team has never had an MVP or a home run champion before. I want to create that history, so I'm managing Austin's physical condition very carefully. I make sure he plays as a designated hitter once or twice a week to help him stay fresh and maintain good condition."

That sentiment was conveyed even without shared language. With today's victory, manager Yeom Kyung-yeop became the ninth manager in KBO history to reach 700 wins. He also set a new record as the oldest manager to achieve 700 wins at 58 years, three months, and 23 days.

In response, Austin said, "Tollhurst's win and Lios's first KBO save are also things to celebrate. But what I most want to congratulate is the manager's 700 wins. I've been with the manager for four years, and he seems to understand me, a baseball player, very well. I'm grateful that he always trusts me and gives me so much support. And I'm truly happy that we can achieve 2,800 wins as a prestigious franchise, LG Twins."

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*This content was translated by AI.