*This content was translated by AI.
After rumors of his expulsion circulated, will he finally become Doosan Bears' true lucky charm at the end of this season? He is the player who finally hit his first home run after stepping onto Korean soil. It is none other than new foreign hitter Yuniono Severino (27).
On the 30th, Doosan secured a decisive 15-1 victory over Kiwoom in their regular-season home game at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium as part of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League.
With this win, Doosan achieved two consecutive victories, finishing with 61 wins, 52 losses, and 4 ties. They currently hold sole fifth place in the league standings. On the same day, a game between fourth-place LG Twins was canceled due to rain and no-play conditions, narrowing the gap from 2.5 games to just two games behind them. The gap with third-place KIA Tigers is also two games. Depending on the results of remaining games, Doosan has a realistic chance of reaching third place.
Severino's bat continues to grow hotter. Today, he contributed significantly to the team's overwhelming victory with three hits in four at-bats (including one home run), three RBIs, two runs scored, and one walk.
Severino unleashed his power from the first inning. In the bottom of the first with one out and a runner on first, he hit an RBI triple that split left-center field. This was his first triple in Korea.
In the third inning, Severino led off but was retired on a fly ball to left field. In the fourth inning, with two outs and runners on second and third, he drew a walk, allowing the team to maintain a bases-loaded opportunity.
And finally, in his fourth at-bat, his first-ever home run in the KBO League erupted. Stepping up to the plate in the bottom of the sixth with one out and a runner on first, Severino faced pitcher Jung Hyun-woo's third pitch—a 144 km/h fastball right down the middle with a favorable 2-0 count—and launched a massive two-run home run that struck the center scoreboard directly. The exit velocity was 178.2 km/h, launch angle 27.6 degrees, and distance 146.2 meters. It felt like watching Tyrone Woods, a former foreign power hitter for Doosan Bears, hit another huge home run.
When he returned to the dugout, his teammates initially greeted his home run with an indifferent ceremony. However, after a brief moment passed, they approached Severino directly to convey their sincere congratulations.
Before the seventh-inning defense, Severino was replaced by first baseman Kang Seung-ho, concluding his game for the day.
After the game, Doosan manager Kim Won-hyung said, "The position players completed a big inning from the first, lightening the pitcher's burden," adding, "Severino's extra-base hit helped set the early tone. He also hit a decisive large home run in the sixth; congratulations on his first KBO League home run."
Following the game, Severino remarked, "I felt it was going to be a home run the moment I made contact. Since I had been longing and hoping for this home run, I was truly happy. The indifferent ceremony by my teammates also felt very enjoyable." He continued, "Regardless of the result being a home run, the feeling right now is definitely good. My balance seems well-adjusted, and I've regained confidence."
He further added, "During the period I was sent down to the minor league, I worked hard on my swing to regain my feel, but I also focused on rebuilding confidence and mental recovery. That effort is now yielding positive results. I am grateful to the Futures League coaching staff."
Severino stated, "Even when results were poor, I told myself to 'go back to basics.' Since slumps can always happen, I resolved to overcome them. My teammates around me also provided great support." He concluded, "The passion of KBO League fans, especially Doosan Bears supporters, is truly intense. To repay that support, I will continue to give my best effort as I am doing now," expressing hope for the future.
Meanwhile, Severino is a new foreign hitter officially signed by Doosan on July 2. After parting ways with Daz Cameron, who started the season with the team, Doosan invested a total of $200,000 (including a $100,000 transfer fee) to acquire Severino. At the time of signing, Doosan described Severino as "a player who generates strong hits from both sides of the plate based on an excellent swing mechanism," adding, "We expect him to contribute to our offensive production in key situations."
Severino, a right-handed batter and left-handed thrower infielder from the Dominican Republic, stands 183 cm tall and weighs 85 kg. Over three seasons in Triple-A, he played 197 games with a batting average of .242, an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of .770, 34 home runs, and 111 RBIs. Before coming to Korea, he played this season in Mexico for the Olmecas de Tabasco in the Mexican League, where he appeared in 54 games with a .340 batting average, .931 OPS, five home runs, and 44 RBIs.
After joining Doosan, Severino struggled for some time and was even sent down to the minor league. He received notification of his assignment on the 13th. At that point, Doosan had made a final decision. Before being sent down, Severino had played in 15 games this season with a .235 batting average (12 hits in 51 at-bats), three RBIs, nine walks, 18 strikeouts, a .350 on-base percentage, a .314 slugging percentage, and a .664 OPS. With no home runs from the foreign hitter as expected, some fans even began calling him "the worst foreign hitter in Doosan history."
After spending ten days in the minor league, Severino returned on the 23rd and delivered a multi-hit performance against Lotte Giants in his comeback game. From the 25th to the 27th, during a three-game series against KT Wiz, he recorded one hit in nine at-bats. On the 29th against Kiwoom, he went 1-for-4 with two RBIs, hitting a valuable two-run single to left field with two outs and bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth inning. Including his first home run of the day, he achieved a multi-hit game and three times on base, delighting Doosan fans. Will Severino show another impressive performance in the next game? Expectations among Doosan fans are rising.
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*This content was translated by AI.
