*This content was translated by AI.
Ahead of this season, KIA Tigers lost key veteran players who became free agents (FA). Choi Hyung-woo, a veteran who anchored the lineup, moved to Samsung Lions, while Park Chan-ho, the core commander of the infield, joined Doosan Bears.
Given these departures, many initially doubted KIA's prospects for this season. However, once the season began, KIA displayed an entirely different image. They maintained a winning percentage above .500 throughout the first half and are now aiming to climb into the upper standings in the second half.
One clear factor behind KIA's upward momentum is the significant increase in home runs and their elevated slugging percentage. Having completed the first half of this season, KIA has hit 101 home runs (in 86 games), leading the league in team home runs. They hold a six-home-run lead over second-place Hanwha Eagles (95 home runs in 82 games). This is 26 more than the top two teams in the first-half standings, Samsung Lions and LG Twins (both with 75 home runs). The gap between KIA and last-place Kiwoom Heroes (51 home runs) is nearly double. Additionally, KIA ranks second in team slugging percentage at .428, just one point behind Hanwha (.420).
Looking at individual performances, Kim Do-young stands at the center of KIA's league-leading home run total. He has hit 27 home runs this season, tying with LG's Austin for first place in the league's home run category. Notably, Kim hit 15 home runs with runners on base, including nine with runners in scoring position. This demonstrates his ability to deliver high-value home runs that directly contribute to team scoring and, ultimately, victories. In slugging percentage, Kim also ranks second overall in the league with a .616 mark.
Despite this success, Kim Do-young has stated he has little ambition to compete for the home run title. He said, "I think it's better not to focus on such things if I want to maintain good hitting form. I believe batting average is more important than home runs. I am concentrating solely on team victory," showing his team-first mindset.
Alongside Kim Do-young, KIA has four players who have each hit double-digit home runs this season. Following Kim, Na Sung-beom ranks second on the team with 17 home runs, placing him tied for sixth overall in the league. Na also boasts a .531 slugging percentage, ranking seventh in the league in that category. Additionally, Kim Ho-ryung, who will become a free agent after this season, has hit 11 home runs, while substitute foreign hitter Adellin Rodriguez has recorded 10 home runs.
Kim Ho-ryung's improvement in power hitting is particularly remarkable. Since debuting in the professional league in 2015, Kim had never once recorded a double-digit home run season. In the 2016 season (124 games), he hit eight home runs, and in the 2025 season (105 games), he hit six. Yet this year, despite playing only 85 games, he has already hit 11 home runs. If he maintains this pace, he could join the 20th-home run-20-stolen base club for the first time in his career. Kim currently has nine stolen bases.
Following these four players, Park Jae-hyun has eight home runs, Castro and Han Jun-su each have six, Park Min, Byun Woo-hyuk, and Oh Sun-woo each have three, Kim Tae-gun and Park Sang-jun each have two, and Kim Seon-bin, Dale, and Han Seung-yeon each have one. Even excluding Adellin and Dale, who have left the team, this means 13 of KIA's position players are capable of hitting a home run at any moment.
KIA manager Lee Beom-ho, the team's head coach, commented on leading the league in home runs: "Being first in team home runs is certainly one of the best ways to achieve results. Baseball is a game about who scores more points. It's better to score with home runs in key situations than to hit many hits without scoring."
He continued, "Of course, I don't expect home runs to keep coming constantly. Kim Do-young, Na Sung-beom, Castro, and other players are starting to hit home runs gradually. Having many hitters capable of hitting home runs on the team means we have a strong lineup overall. However, home runs can be a double-edged sword. When home runs don't come, games often become difficult to break open. Therefore, depending on the opposing pitchers, we may opt for one-run strategies at times or play more aggressively at others. We plan to approach games with two or three different strategies."
There is a saying that "home runs are the flower of baseball." Home runs hit in crucial moments serve as the ultimate catalyst for boosting team morale. At the same time, nothing breaks an opposing team's will quite like a home run. KIA last led the league in team home runs (143) in 2004. Last season, they finished second in the category with 161 home runs, behind Samsung Lions. Can KIA finally claim the top spot in team home runs for the first time in 22 years this season? Expectations among KIA fans are growing even higher.
<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>
*This content was translated by AI.
