Kim Young-ung hits back-to-back home runs → Park Jin-man also satisfied! "He seems to be gradually finding his rhythm; we are originally a team built on home runs"

*This content was translated by AI.

The Samsung Lions were "a team built on home runs" in the 2025 season, launching an impressive 161 home runs to lead all teams in that category for the year. At the heart of this achievement was Kim Young-ung (23), who hit 22 home runs at the time. However, while Kim experienced some ups and downs early in the 2026 season, he has recently shown signs of regaining form with back-to-back home runs over two games in the second half. Manager Park Jin-man (50) expressed satisfaction, noting that Kim appears to be finding his rhythm again.

On the 17th, before the rain-cancelled game against Lotte Giants at Daegu Samsung Lions Park, Manager Park met with on-site reporters and reflected on Kim's decisive performance in the late innings of the previous day's (16th) game, smiling as he recalled it.

Earlier, during the home game against Lotte on the 16th, Samsung led 3-1 entering the bottom of the eighth inning. With Kim Young-ung batting leadoff, he launched a massive solo home run over the center-field fence, traveling 137 meters off changed pitcher Hyun Do-hoon. This single swing gave Samsung a 4-1 lead and completely secured their victory. It marked Kim's second consecutive home run following his home game against LG on the 9th, and his second of the season.

When asked about this, Manager Park began by saying, "Our team has always been known as a home-run-focused team, with that kind of atmosphere and style." He then added, "However, early in this season, Kim's absence led to a significant drop in home runs, which was disappointing. But now that he's back and hit a game-changing home run, it has revitalized the team's morale," offering high praise without holding back.

Continuing, Manager Park stated, "With Kim hitting back-to-back home runs, it seems he is gradually finding his batting rhythm again." He welcomed the return of this key hitter, who is now adding solid weight to Samsung's lineup following his comeback.

He also clarified Kim's defensive position, announcing plans to fix him at third base moving forward. Manager Park explained, "Kim has been performing well consistently at third base, and shortstops are fulfilling their roles effectively. Until (Lee) Jae-hyun returns, Kim will focus solely on third base." He added, "Changing his defensive position unnecessarily would create a burden defensively and could also affect his batting performance. Since (Lee) Jae-hyun is expected to return soon, we should help Kim maintain his form at his natural position while further improving his batting condition."

Ultimately, Manager Park's strategy appears designed to maximize Kim's batting focus by returning him to his familiar defensive position. If Kim holds firm at third base after overcoming his injury absence and beginning to display his sharp hitting prowess, Samsung's "home-run artillery unit" in the second half is expected to gain even more momentum. Under Manager Park Jin-man's trust, who aims to achieve both defensive stability and a batting resurgence, Kim Young-ung, now back as a core power hitter for the Lions, is once again heating up at the plate.

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*This content was translated by AI.