"Kim Do-young and Austin hit much better," humble Kang Baek-ho explains why he set his sights on a 30-home run goal despite the "historic pace."

*This content was translated by AI.

"I am not a player who hits many home runs; those players hit them much better."

In 75 games, he hit 23 home runs. This is the fastest pace since his debut in 2018. However, Kang Baek-ho (27, Hanwha Eagles) placed greater emphasis on fulfilling his role as the fourth batter rather than harboring grand ambitions.

Kang Baek-ho started as the designated hitter in the fourth spot for the away game against LG Twins at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium on the 3rd, leading his team to an 8-1 victory with two home runs, two hits in four at-bats, four RBIs, and two runs scored.

He has hit home runs in three consecutive games and has launched six home runs over his last seven games. He is now closing in quickly on Austin Dean (LG, 27 home runs), who leads the category with 23 home runs, and Kim Do-young (KIA, 26 home runs) in second place.

Ahead of this season, there were doubts about his defensive utility when he was signed as a free agent (FA) for up to 10 billion won over four years, the largest contract in the league at the time. However, he has performed so remarkably that such concerns are now unfounded. In 75 games, he posted a .324 batting average (94 hits in 290 at-bats), 23 home runs, 85 RBIs, and 50 runs scored, with an on-base percentage of .392, slugging percentage of .621, and OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 1.013. His batting average in scoring position reached .417.

Especially, his performance on this day was dazzling. Amid a tense pitching duel between the starting pitchers with the score tied at 0-0, Lachlan Wells in the bottom of the sixth inning threw a fastball clocked at 144.6 km/h, which he drove straight over the left-field wall for a solo home run to take the lead. In the bottom of the eighth inning, with the lead at 1-0 and one out with runners on first and third, he drove Kim Jin-seong's high outside pitch toward left field for a sacrifice fly, adding an RBI. In the bottom of the ninth inning, with two outs and a runner on third base, he targeted Lee Sang-young's slider once again and sent it over the left-field fence.

After the game, Kang Baek-ho said, "Actually, I was lucky. The first home run came after the team's analysis unit told me to target Wells' high fastballs well, and I did just that, resulting in a good hit." He added, "For the second home run, I hit it by pushing from behind. In my previous at-bat, I successfully drove a ball that was in a good zone. Since Lee Sang-young is a left-handed pitcher and I was thinking about how to hit balls drifting outside, I decided to push them out. Focusing on that approach became a positive factor."

Kang Baek-ho's most home runs since his debut were 29 in his rookie year of 2018. He has yet to reach 30 home runs. His pace suggests he could even aim for 40 home runs. He is also showing strong momentum to challenge for the home run champion title.

However, Kang Baek-ho stated, "I am not a player who hits many home runs. (Austin, Kim Do-young) Those players hit far more home runs. My greatest wish is to be a player who helps the Eagles win games from my position." He further lowered his profile by saying, "This is not humility. Those players truly hit home runs better than I do. I believe I am not a hitter who hits home runs very well."

Kang Baek-ho said, "I thought I was on a crazy pace even in 2024. I realized I was a player who hit so many home runs, but this year I haven't been thinking about home runs as much as I did back then. I focused first on what to do in every situation at the plate, and it seems like things are working out well due to good luck."

The year 2024 is unforgettable. In the first half of the season, he played 85 games, posting a .315 batting average with 22 home runs and 66 RBIs, appearing to completely shed the slump of the previous two seasons. However, he suffered a severe decline in the second half, adding only four home runs over 59 games to finish the season with 26 home runs.

Based on those experiences, he has become more mature. Kang Baek-ho said, "I think I have become a better player in terms of skill compared to then. I have gained much mental strength and experience in battling pitchers, and after going through several difficult seasons, I learned how to handle various situations. I feel happy that I am still learning from each game and growing little by little."

He aims for 30 home runs. Kang Baek-ho said, "I want to hit 30. I've never hit 30 before. My biggest goal is to hit 30 home runs while batting .400 and recording 100 RBIs." He added, "Numbers aren't that important to me, but still, I want to have a good season in my career during my first year with Hanwha. Since I'm still young and if I stay healthy, I believe my playing days will be long, so I think I need to grow even more in the future. I hope to become a player who gives people the expectation that they can write a career high every year."

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*This content was translated by AI.