"Autumn baseball will be difficult..." SSG Landers, led by Park Sung-han after Choi Jung's departure, explains why they must "run harder in the second half"

*This content was translated by AI.

Although Choi Jung (39) has been sidelined due to injury, the SSG Landers have climbed to four wins and one draw in their recent games. While a rebound from the starting rotation is cited as the first factor, Park Sung-han (28) has become the central figure in the lineup.

SSG currently sits in ninth place with 36 wins, 56 losses, and 4 draws. They trail fifth-place Doosan Bears by 12 games. With a win-loss margin of -20 and 48 games remaining, they must achieve 34 wins and 14 losses—a winning percentage of 0.708—to barely reach the .500 mark.

Considering that fifth-place Doosan is currently posting a winning percentage of 0.522, even achieving a 0.700 winning percentage in the remaining games may not be enough to reach the threshold for autumn baseball. The situation for SSG is thus desperate.

However, giving up is not an option. Lee Seung-yong, SSG's manager, has recently emphasized "next year." While acknowledging this season's failures, he insists that they must secure many victories in the second half and find elements of hope within them for the sake of next year.

Players share a similar mindset. Kim Kwang-hyun, the anchor of both pitching and hitting, was scheduled for surgery starting in the second half after being on track since before the season began. In the lineup, Park Sung-han has taken on that leadership role. Although he has not yet reached his 30s, he has accumulated considerable experience and is the most suitable figure to lead younger players both in skill and maturity.

Park Sung-han stressed that regardless of standings, giving maximum effort is crucial. "Honestly, autumn baseball will be difficult," he said, "but rather than thinking 'Can we win today?' when stepping onto the field, players are adopting a mindset of 'We will win today' or 'Let's try.' In this situation, continuing to win games is essential for next year and to avoid falling further behind. We aim to keep running with this feeling in the second half."

SSG is preparing for the Cheongna era set to open in 2028. With the upcoming move to the Cheongna Dome, securing top results requires building a solid foundation for next season, which means finishing this season strongly. Unlike the first half filled with disappointment, they must gain tangible progress in the second half.

In that light, the recent resurgence of the starting rotation and their winning streak is especially welcome. It has also given players renewed confidence in their ability to succeed.

Park Sung-han said, "With the winning streak, the atmosphere naturally lifts, and players' spirits brighten accordingly. It will be difficult, but we must continue to win."

He added, "The starting pitchers have been throwing so well that the lineup has become more focused, and defense has also sharpened. When starters hold firm and endure, it creates a mindset of 'We can play this game' or 'We can win.' This focus has helped us perform better both offensively and defensively."

The burden is significant, as he holds an important role as a mid-level veteran. Park Sung-han stated, "There is pressure. Even when (Choi) Jung was here, I was in the middle age group and responsible for leading infielders. It's not easy to lead effectively; sometimes efforts don't yield results. Instead of forcing things, after many senior players departed, I've started paying closer attention to younger teammates and offering guidance. That's where my focus has been."

He was also assigned the new role of batting second. This season, he primarily batted leadoff, maintaining a .400 average through early May. As a leadoff hitter, his batting average reached 0.340 (91 hits in 268 at-bats). However, with the lineup struggling overall, he shifted to the second spot to serve as a "strong second batter."

His recent 10-game batting average has dipped slightly to 0.268, but he has rebounded with five consecutive hits and hit a go-ahead home run against NC Dinos on July 25—the first left-field home run of his season.

Park Sung-han explained, "I adapted well to leading off early in the season. Moving to second has brought more RBI opportunities than expected. Since (Jung) Jun-jae has performed well as a leadoff hitter, there have been many situations where the top of the order came alive. While this brings a new sense of responsibility to connect plays, I'm embracing the challenge."

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*This content was translated by AI.