Second-half 'Kiwoom Alert': Foreign Power Duo Hits 16-for-16 with 13 RBIs in Four Games; Only One Player Called Up for AG

*This content was translated by AI.

As soon as the second half of the 2026 KBO League began, a "Kiwoom Alert" was issued to all nine teams.

The Kiwoom Heroes posted a 3-1 record in their first four-game series against the Hanwha Eagles at Daejeon Hanwha Life Park from the 16th to the 19th. Over those four games, the team led the league in runs scored (34), ranked second in batting average (.310), and tied for second in home runs (5). Their ERA stood at 4.50, placing them fifth. They have narrowed the gap with the ninth-place SSG Landers to just one game, offering hope of escaping last place.

There is reason not to view this upward momentum as merely a temporary phenomenon. First, the ambitiously planned "foreign power duo" is finally delivering on their promise.

Kiwoom quickly signed Davison (35), a former "2024 KBO Home Run Champion" who parted ways with NC Dinos at the end of the first half. The plan was to build lineup synergy alongside Hira (30), who has 50 career home runs in Major League Baseball.

The effect did not take long to materialize. Davison, who joined Kiwoom starting from the match against Doosan Bears on the 4th, managed only one hit in his first three games but showed clear signs of recovery beginning with two hits in the KT Wiz game on the 8th. He then recorded four hits in the Hanwha game on the 16th, and finally hit the long-awaited first home run (a three-run shot) since joining on the 17th.

Hira's bat also came alive in tandem. He hit back-to-back-to-back home runs in consecutive games against KT on the 8th and Hanwha on the 16th, accumulating a .429 batting average (9-for-21) with two home runs and eight RBIs over his last five games. He is currently on a nine-game hit streak dating back to the Doosan game on the 3rd.

In batting average during the first week of the second half (16th–19th), Davison (.500) and Hira (.471) ranked second and third in the league behind Heo Kyung-min of KT (.529). Over four games, the two batters combined for 16 hits (including two home runs) and 13 RBIs. Their batting average with runners in scoring position also stands out: Davison at .750 (3-for-4) and Hira at .571 (4-for-7).

Kiwoom manager Seol Jong-jin (53), reflecting on the first half, said, "The pitching staff has found its footing to some extent, but I was disappointed that our batting average with runners in scoring position wasn't as strong as we'd hoped. Now that two big hitters have joined, I believe things will improve even more than they are now." As the manager anticipated, these two "big hitters" are effectively serving as the lineup's problem-solvers.

There is another reason to keep a close eye on Kiwoom in the second half: the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Summer Asian Games (AG) scheduled for late September. Key players from each team selected for the national squad will likely be away from their clubs for about two to three weeks. With the regular season standings battle reaching its peak, there are concerns that such absences could deal a fatal blow to team strength.

While up to three players per team may be called up, Kiwoom has only one player selected: catcher Kim Geon-hee (22), placing them in a relatively less burdensome position compared to others. Former national team coach Kim In-sik (79), commenting on the second half outlook, stated, "Since only one player from Kiwoom will be absent for the Asian Games squad, they could become an important variable in the final stretch of the season."

Whether Kiwoom can emerge as a second-half storm team will be tested this week during their first major hurdle. The Heroes are scheduled to play against Samsung Lions at home from Wednesday to Friday (21st–23rd) and face KIA Tigers on the road over the weekend (24th–26th). Kiwoom trails Samsung with a 3-6 record this season and has lost all nine games against KIA. It remains to be seen whether Kiwoom's upward momentum can overcome not only the league leaders but also their arch-rivals.

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*This content was translated by AI.