"I think I need to clear my mind." NC's Kim Hwi-jip endured a wrist fracture and opened up about his struggles before exploding with four hits two days later! It had been 742 days since the last time this happened.

*This content was translated by AI.

"I think I need to clear my mind a bit."

The more he wanted to hit well, the more his bat seemed to tangle. Kim Hwi-jip (26) of NC Dinos, who diagnosed his slump this way, created the best day of the season just two days later.

On the 27th at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium, Kim Hwi-jip started as the third baseman and hit sixth in the lineup against LG Twins on an away game, going 4-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored to lead NC to a decisive 13-3 victory. It was his first multi-hit game since August and his first four-hit game of the season. Kim's fourth hit in a single game came exactly 742 days after his last such performance on August 15, 2024, against Changwon SSG Landers.

The content was also excellent. In the top of the first inning with one out and runners on first and third, Kim Hwi-jip drove Park Si-won's outside-breaking curveball into center-left field for a go-ahead RBI single. In the second inning with two outs and runners on first and second, although the pitcher changed, he again sent an outside fastball to center-left field to add another RBI. After reaching base via a hit-by-pitch in his third at-bat, he pulled Jo Won-tae's inside fastball in the sixth for a left-field single, and in his final at-bat of the seventh inning, he lightly connected with an inside mistake pitch for another left-field single. He hit both curveballs and fastballs. He drove outside pitches and pulled inside pitches.

Just two days earlier, Kim Hwi-jip's mind was cluttered. When recently asked by StarNews at Jamsil about why his hitting wasn't going as planned, he admitted, "I watch a lot of video, but my execution falls short. It seems like I can't perform what I think in the actual batter's box."

According to NC manager Lee Ho-jun (50), Kim Hwi-jip is a hitter who actively uses so-called 'guess hitting,' anticipating and reacting to pitches from opposing battery members. However, the problem was that opponents also knew his tendencies. Kim laughed, saying, "Since opponents know I sometimes try to be clever, they often hit me back with counter-pitches. I think I shouldn't overthink it. I need to clear my mind and just swing." He added, "When things are going well, I just swing, but when things aren't going well, I keep trying to target specific pitches."

Before the game, the manager also pointed out a similar issue, noting that more detailed preparation was needed regarding matchup patterns against opposing pitchers and catchers based on ball-strike counts and base-runner situations. Manager Lee said, "It feels like the pitch combinations I expect and the actual pitches coming in are constantly going in opposite directions."

The manager tells players to think more, while players need to think less. At first glance, this seems contradictory, but their ultimate goals aren't so different. Prepare thoroughly before the game, then trust that preparation in the batter's box and react naturally to incoming pitches.

For Kim Hwi-jip, this year's process itself was not easy. On April 16 during a game against Changwon KT Wiz, he suffered a wrist fracture after being hit by Matt Sauer's pitch. He chose rehabilitation over surgery, and although his return was initially expected in about six weeks, the bone healing process was slower than anticipated, extending his actual recovery timeline.

He did not waste that time. Even while unable to use his right arm properly, Kim Hwi-jip consistently went to Changwon NC Park for lower-body workouts and even practiced one-handed batting using only his left hand. This effort was aimed at maintaining his hitting feel so he could produce results immediately upon returning.

His performance before the injury was also strong. At that time, Kim was batting .288 (15 hits in 52 at-bats) over 16 games and showing steady progress. Having hit 16 home runs in his first year with NC and 17 last year, the sudden wrist fracture was particularly disappointing.

After completing the long rehabilitation, another challenge awaited him. His body had returned, but his mind became cluttered again in the batter's box. Kim himself emphasized, "I don't worry too much about the results themselves. Things can't always go well. Actually, my process and pace are better now than before the injury. Since I'm working hard, I think I'll be able to do well. I will do my best."

Two days after honestly admitting he needed to "clear his mind," Kim Hwi-jip recorded a four-hit game. While it's too soon to say all his concerns were resolved in just one game, he found a breakthrough in the process of hitting both breaking balls and fastballs, regardless of whether they were inside or outside.

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*This content was translated by AI.