'Dirty Uniform' Kim Ho-ryeong's Tiger Spirit, "Sign Him Quickly": Today Is the Cheapest Day for a 'Pre-FA' Player

*This content was translated by AI.

The team name on KIA Tigers' Kim Ho-ryeong (34)'s uniform read not "KIA TIGERS" but "TIGES." This was no coincidence; his mud-splattered uniform reflected how hard he played and the extent of his performance.

On the 19th, Kim Ho-ryeong started as the leadoff center fielder in the away game against SSG Landers at Incheon SSG Landers Field for the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League. He delivered a stellar performance with one hit in four at-bats, including a walk, two runs scored, and two stolen bases, along with the game-winning hit.

While he was shut down by SSG's foreign pitcher Pedro Avila in the first game of the second half, resulting in a loss, Kim helped the team secure three consecutive victories afterward. His performance also contributed to head coach Lee Beom-ho achieving his 200th career win.

After the game, Coach Lee Beom-ho said, "It would be no exaggeration to say that this series was led by Kim Ho-ryeong. Yesterday he was the hero with outstanding defense, and today he sealed the victory with a clutch game-winning hit."

In the game on the 17th, Kim recorded one hit in three at-bats, drew two walks, and scored two runs to lead the team to a 6-3 victory. On the 18th, he went 3-for-3 with three runs scored, playing a decisive role offensively while also making an incredible diving catch and executing a perfect throw to record a double play, silencing SSG's comeback attempts. Both starting pitcher Jameson Nail and Coach Lee Beom-ho praised his performance as "the best defense."

Earlier in the day, Kim was retired via strikeout, a fly ball to right field, and an infield grounder to second base. However, he shone when his team needed him most. With the score at 4-5 in the bottom of the 7th inning against reliever Lee Run-ho, Kim drew a walk despite being behind 1-2 in the count. He then stole second base and scored easily on Kim Do-young's double to tie the game.

In the bottom of the 8th, with bases loaded and no outs, pinch hitter Park Jae-hyun grounded into a double play. The runner from third was thrown out at home, turning the situation into two outs with runners on second and third. The win probability plummeted from 76.6% to 49.7%.

Kim Ho-ryeong turned the tide again. After working a full count, he hit an outside forkball for a line drive single to center field. Two runners who had started early both scored, instantly boosting the win probability by 32.6 percentage points to 82.3%. Kim stole second base and then advanced to third on a wild pitch, disrupting the opposing defense. Pushing the game into a must-win situation, he eventually scored on Herald Castro's go-ahead two-run home run, sealing the victory.

Equally impressive was his stolen base in the 8th inning. Having already successfully stolen a base earlier, Kim stole second again without hesitation in the 8th, during which the letter "R" from the "TIGERS" on his uniform fell off. His uniform was once again covered in mud that day.

Kim Ho-ryeong said, "I feel great when my uniform gets dirty from stealing bases or making diving catches. If my uniform stays clean, it feels like I didn't do anything, and a clean uniform means an unproductive day."

A similar situation occurred the previous day. In addition to the diving catch that earned him a warm embrace from Nail, Kim slid headfirst into first base during an infield hit, sending chills through spectators. KIA prohibits such slides to prevent player injuries and imposes fines for violations.

After the previous day's game, when reporters asked Kim about the potential fine, he joked, "They might not even notice since we won," but also resigned himself to the penalty. However, Coach Lee Beom-ho, whom Kim met before the game, laughed and said, "Instead of paying a fine, he told me to sign him quickly." He added, "These days, whenever Ho-ryeong does something good, it always becomes 'Lee Suga.' It would be a big problem if that didn't happen."

Coach Lee is openly trying to retain Kim Ho-ryeong, who will become a free agent (FA) at the end of the season.

Kim Ho-ryeong also mentioned, "The fine was discussed before training yesterday. The standard amount is 10 million won, but I was told to pay only 1 million won. It seems like he's telling me not to do it again." He continued, "Even during pre-game training, the coach warned me not to slide from first base because of the risk of injury. I'm planning to stop doing that now."

He also directly appealed for a contract extension. Kim said, "The coach tells me at least once a day to sign quickly. Since the beginning of the season, every single day when I greet him, he asks, 'Are you not going to sign?' and I just laugh it off each time."

Selected by KIA in the second round of the 2015 draft, Kim Ho-ryeong played in 124 games in 2016 but did not appear in more than 100 games in any season until last year (105 games). He was far from being a regular starter.

However, last year he posted a .283 batting average with six home runs, 39 RBIs, 12 stolen bases, and 46 runs scored, along with a .359 on-base percentage, .434 slugging percentage, and .793 OPS. This season, in just 89 games, he has already hit .283 (98 hits in 346 at-bats) with 11 home runs, 48 RBIs, and 57 runs scored, posting a .329 on-base percentage, .448 slugging percentage, and .777 OPS, signaling a career-best season.

Although he spent many years as a backup without much spotlight, the time has come for him to take center stage. Kim Ho-ryeong said, "I want to hit over .300, but it's been difficult staying in the .280 range. My goal is to maintain that level and rise above .300."

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*This content was translated by AI.