*This content was translated by AI.
Song Sung-moon (30, San Diego Padres), who continues to fight for survival in Major League Baseball (MLB), made a starting appearance but left fans disappointed by committing his first error since his MLB debut.
On the 20th (Korea time), Song started at third base and batted ninth in an away game against the New York Mets at Citi Field in New York, USA, going hitless in three at-bats.
Although he has mostly entered games as a pinch hitter or defensive replacement in the later innings, limiting his opportunities to bat, Song has failed to record a hit in six consecutive games since the 8th against the Houston Astros.
His season batting average dropped from 0.207 to 0.202 (114 at-bats, 23 hits), while his on-base percentage and slugging percentage also fell from 0.313 to 0.305 and from 0.270 to 0.263, respectively. His OPS (on-base plus slugging) stands at 0.568.
After not starting in eight games since the matchup against the Milwaukee Brewers on the 11th, Song finally got another chance to start but failed to deliver at the plate.
In the bottom of the second inning with one out and runners on first and second, Song faced Mets starter Robert Stock, whom he had played against while with the Doosan Bears in the 2022 Korean professional baseball season, and flew out to right field. In the bottom of the fifth with no outs and a runner on second, he again faced Stock but grounded out to shortstop. In the bottom of the seventh with one out, he encountered right-handed relief pitcher Austin Warren and struck out swinging.
The most painful moment came in defense. With shortstop Xander Bogaerts complaining of hamstring pain and being substituted, Song moved to shortstop starting in the bottom of the seventh inning. In the bottom of the eighth with one out and runners on first and third while San Diego trailed 1-2, Song fielded a ground ball hit by Bo Bissett but committed an error during the throw to second base.
Although turning a double play was not an easy situation, Song judged that he could not tag the runner heading for home in time and threw to second. His decision itself was sound, but the ball slipped sideways, allowing both runners to advance to second and third bases.
Later, second baseman Jake Cronenworth fielded a ground ball hit by Carson Kelly and threw home to prevent a run, but Jared Young, who played for Doosan in 2024, hit a line drive single to center field, scoring another run.
In the top of the ninth inning, San Diego managed to score one run to close the gap thanks to a sacrifice fly by pinch hitter Gavin Sheets following a single by Luis Arraez and a walk by Luis Campusano, which put runners on first and second with one out. It was Song's turn to bat next, but the Padres sent Austin Hays as a pinch hitter instead; he hit into a double play, and the game ended in a 2-4 loss for San Diego.
This was an extremely painful result for Song Sung-moon. San Diego sits second in the National League West with 68 wins and 60 losses, holding third place in the National League Wild Card race.
Although today's error was deeply painful, Song is expected to receive consistent playing opportunities for the foreseeable future due to Bogaerts' hamstring discomfort. Bogaerts was struck by a pitch from Stock in the second inning and showed signs of discomfort in the top of the seventh after swinging at a pitch, placing his hand on his right thigh. Ultimately, Bogaerts was substituted, forcing Song, who had been playing third base, to move to shortstop.
According to MLB's official website, MLB.com, San Diego manager Craig Stammen said, "He's fine. He just had a cramp. We substituted him preventively." He added, "Considering the hot and humid weather today along with the long travel, we decided it was appropriate to rest him."
Based on his excellent base-running ability and versatile defense, Song is earning consistent playing opportunities. It reminds one of Kim Ha-seong (Atlanta) in his first MLB season. Kim secured regular playing time in the majors based on his defensive skills, then saw his batting improve from his second year onward, eventually becoming the first Asian infielder to win a Gold Glove Award in his third season.
Despite limited playing time, Song has already recorded 12 stolen bases, ranking fourth on the team. He is also making a strong impression defensively. Although he committed a critical error today, the fact that it was his first error of the season despite handling second base, shortstop, and third base highlights his defensive contributions this year.
Song has played 28 games (167 innings) at second base, 12 games (79 innings) at third base, and 16 games (89 innings) at shortstop.
While Bogaerts' injury does not appear to be serious, San Diego, which must consider the postseason, cannot afford to overwork him. This naturally creates opportunities for Song.
However, he must also contribute offensively to some extent. Even with excellent defense and base-running, if his batting remains ineffective, he will become a half-finished player, making long-term survival increasingly difficult.
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*This content was translated by AI.
