"Players who work hard can do it all." The batting machine, humble even after achieving KBO's first-ever record, expressed gratitude to his parents for just one thing [Jamsil Field]

*This content was translated by AI.

'Batting machine' Kim Hyun-soo (38, KT Wiz) showed humility even after achieving this historic record in the KBO.

On the 18th at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium, Kim Hyun-soo started as the second batter and first baseman in a road game against LG Twins in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular season. He recorded two hits, one RBI, and one run in six at-bats, leading KT to an 8-2 victory.

Kim Hyun-soo hit a line drive single through the right-center gap in his first at-bat of the first inning, setting the stage for a big fifth-inning rally. In the bottom of the fifth, with KT trailing 1-2, leadoff batter Choi Won-jun reached base with a double to left field. Kim Hyun-soo then capitalized on Im Chan-kyu's first pitch, driving a ground ball past the second baseman for an infield single that drove in a run. Choi Won-jun's speed at second base played a key role as well.

KT subsequently scored four runs in just the fifth inning, taking control of the game. The scoring came from An Hyun-min's hit by pitch, Sam Hilliard's RBI double to left-center field, Heo Kyung-min's RBI single to left field, and Han Seung-taek's sacrifice fly to center field.

Notably, Kim Hyun-soo became the first player in KBO League history to record 100 hits in 17 consecutive seasons thanks to his hit in the fifth inning. After graduating from Sinil High School, he joined Doosan Bears as a development player in 2006. In his third professional season in 2008, he led the league with 168 hits, marking the beginning of his legendary career.

He continued to demonstrate consistent hitting performance and even succeeded in joining Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States during 2016–2017. His performance remained unchanged even after returning from the U.S. After moving to LG in 2018, he consistently maintained a batting average above .300 and helped lead the team to two Korean Series championships. This year, he moved to KT.

After the game, Kim Hyun-soo met with reporters and said, "I think I'm just a lucky person. There were many difficult moments along the way, and I want to thank the managers who believed in me and gave me plenty of opportunities."

Despite concerns about his age at 38 when he declared free agency, Kim Hyun-soo has proven his value with a batting average of .286 (100 hits in 350 at-bats), six home runs, 55 RBIs, and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 0.744 across 85 games this season.

Kim Hyun-soo said, "In my opinion, any player who works hard can achieve this record. As long as they stay healthy, it's possible. In that sense, I'm grateful to my parents for giving me such good durability."

He added, "I hope this record isn't the end. For players our age, every day brings worries. There are times when you wonder if you can keep going, but I will do my best to continue until the very end. I'd also like to challenge myself for 20 consecutive seasons with 100 hits."

Kim Hyun-soo is considered an exemplary veteran who continues to perform at an elite level despite his age, alongside Choi Hyung-woo (43, Samsung Lions). When asked about this, Kim Hyun-soo laughed and said, "I think I believe it's possible because I see Hyung-woo hyung and my teammates still performing. Hyung-woo hyung is healthy and an incredibly outstanding hitter, so I don't think I can match that."

With this win, KT, currently on a six-game winning streak and in third place with 50 wins, one tie, and 35 losses, closed the gap to second-place LG (52 wins, 36 losses) by just half a game. Kim Hyun-soo smiled and said, "It's really great that the team won. I thought we had to win at least twice no matter what, so I focused hard. The pitchers held strong, and Hilliard has been hitting key hits when it matters most. Choi Won-jun has always performed well. Our team only needs me to play well. If I stay more focused, we can climb even higher."

Although KT had struggled against LG in recent years, this year — the same year Kim Hyun-soo joined the team — they have established an overwhelming advantage with eight wins and three losses. At Jamsil Baseball Stadium, they are undefeated in five games. This road series, which marked the start of the second half of the season, ended with three wins, securing a winning streak and bringing the chance to reclaim second place within reach.

Kim Hyun-soo said cautiously, "I do remember beating KT when I was with LG. Coincidentally, it seems like the momentum shifted right around the time I moved to KT." He added, "It would be great if we win again tomorrow (the 19th), but rather than getting greedy, I'll focus on avoiding mistakes and improving my concentration to secure another victory."

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*This content was translated by AI.