'Trade Protagonist' Leaves Lotte, Then Causes a Major Incident! → 12G 'Astronomical 50%' Explosion, Manager's Praise 'Turns Out' Hidden Reason for Stellar Performance

*This content was translated by AI.

Kim Min-seok (22), who has firmly established himself as a starting outfielder for the Doosan Bears, recorded another three-hit game. His batting average over the last 12 games is an astounding .500. He has truly exploded onto the scene.

On the 1st, Doosan suffered a heartbreaking 2-3 loss to the Lotte Giants in a regular-season home game at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium, decided in an extra-inning 10th-inning contest.

Doosan failed to maintain its upward momentum from the 5-0 victory on the 30th of last month, finishing with 39 wins, 2 draws, and 39 losses (a .500 winning percentage). The team remains in 5th place in the league standings. The winner of the winning series will be decided in the game on the 2nd.

Had Doosan won on this day, Kim Min-seok would have received intense spotlight once again. Following his three-hit, one-RBI, two-run performance in three at-bats against Lotte at Jamsil on the 30th of last month, he recorded back-to-back three-hit games.

Starting as the cleanup hitter and left fielder, Kim Min-seok hit a hit to left-center field in his first at-bat in the 2nd inning, successfully extending his hit streak to 12 consecutive games. In the 4th inning, Kim was retired on a strikeout.

Then, in the bottom of the 7th inning with Doosan trailing 0-1, leadoff hitter Kim Min-seok hit a double down the left-field line, completing his multi-hit game. After Cho Su-hyung's sacrifice bunt, Kim advanced to third base and scored on Park Chan-ho's two-run single to tie the game.

That was not the end. With Doosan trailing 1-2 in the bottom of the 9th inning, the final offensive opportunity, the fourth hitter Yang Eui-ji faced Lotte closer Choi Jun-yong, engaging in an 11-pitch battle before being retired on a fly ball to right field. Kim Min-seok then stepped up to the plate. Kim boldly attacked Choi Jun-yong's first-pitch fastball (153 km/h), driving a hit to left-center field. This was the moment Kim Min-seok completed his back-to-back three-hit games.

Kim Min-seok was then replaced by pinch runner Jeon Da-min to conclude his game. Ultimately, Jeon Da-min reached third base and scored on Ahn Jae-seok's two-run single to tie the game. However, since Jeon Da-min committed a critical baserunning judgment error in the top of the 10th extra inning, Doosan fans might have felt that Kim Min-seok's substitution was a regrettable move.

Kim Min-seok switched uniforms from Lotte to Doosan via a trade in November 2024. At that time, Doosan executed a 2-for-3 trade, sending pitchers Jung Cheol-won and infielder Jeon Min-jae to Lotte in exchange for Kim Min-seok, pitcher Choi Woo-in, and Chu Jae-hyun. This move was hailed as a 'super-large trade' alongside the transfer of a key prospect. Since then, he has performed so well this year that people say he has truly 'exploded.'

Currently, Kim Min-seok has recorded 12 consecutive hits starting from the June 16 game against the Busan KT Wiz. His batting average over the last 12 games is an astounding .512 (43 at-bats, 22 hits).

Ahead of today's game, Doosan manager Kim Won-hyung praised Kim Min-seok, saying, "He seems to be playing with great enthusiasm this year," before adding, "He has become more serious at the plate and knows how to engage in count battles. His ability to handle situations after two strikes has improved significantly. These improvements are the result of continued effort with hitting coach Lee Jin-young and the player's own willingness to absorb the lessons."

He continued, "He is timing his fastballs well, making solid contact. In the early part of the season, I felt that when strong pitches came, Kim Min-seok's timing was sometimes late, or the batted balls lacked power. However, he has been improving through constant adjustments. The recent consecutive hits are a clear sign of his excellent balance."

It turns out that behind Kim Min-seok's dramatic rise lies his own relentless effort. Manager Kim stated, "Even during the early part of the season when he struggled to maintain consistent playing time, Kim Min-seok always arrived early for training and was the first to start. I consider that consistency. Given his immense talent, the results of his diligent practice are now showing up in games." He added, "Of course, hitting has its cycles. Nevertheless, he is showing excellent form by engaging pitchers in 5-6 pitch at-bats and competing effectively."

After the game on the 1st, his season statistics stand at a .314 batting average (229 at-bats, 72 hits), 4 home runs, 14 doubles, 2 triples, 28 RBIs, 33 runs scored, 2 stolen bases (0 caught stealing), 27 walks, 43 strikeouts, a .445 slugging percentage, a .388 on-base percentage, and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 0.833. His batting average with runners in scoring position is .381. His pinch-hitting average is .375. Now, Doosan fans are filled with anticipation every time Kim Min-seok steps up to the plate.

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*This content was translated by AI.