'Not Reyes or Koo Ja-wook': Who Will Be the Second-Half Batting Champion? 'This Player' Receives a 'Radical Gift' of 600 Million Won More

*This content was translated by AI.

Who is the hitter with the most hits during the second half of the 2026 KBO League season?

It is neither Reyes (32, Lotte Giants), who leads the season in total hits, nor Koo Ja-wook (33, Samsung Lions), who shares the top spot in batting average for the second half. The protagonist is none other than Seo Geon-chang (37, Kiwoom Heroes).

Seo has appeared in 33 games since the start of the second half on July 16 and currently holds 48 hits. He has pulled ahead by two hits to take a confident first place, surpassing Reyes and Koo, who each recorded 46 hits during the same period.

It is not just about hits. With 26 runs scored, Seo ranks second in the league behind Kim Do-young (23, KIA Tigers), who has 30 runs. His batting average stands at .369, placing him fifth. It would be no exaggeration to call him the hottest hitter in the KBO League during the second half.

In a radical move midway through the season, the Kiwoom organization altered Seo's contract terms and awarded him an additional 600 million won. On August 31, Kiwoom announced: "While maintaining the existing two-year (2027–2028) contract with a total value of up to 600 million won, we have added an option clause (specific details undisclosed), allowing him to earn up to 1.2 billion won in total. The option has been set at a level that the player can fully achieve, effectively guaranteeing the entire 1.2 billion won."

Seo, who hit 201 hits in 2014 during his Nexen (Kiwoom's predecessor) days to become the first in KBO League history to record over 200 hits in a single season, played for LG Twins and KIA before returning to his original team, Kiwoom, after last season ended. Although he suffered a finger injury during spring training this year and did not play his first game of the season until May 9, he has since led the team's lineup with a performance reminiscent of his 200-hit days from 12 years ago.

His season statistics through 85 games show a .323 batting average (107 hits in 331 at-bats), three home runs, 56 runs scored, and 31 RBIs. This marks his first time hitting double-digit hits in a single season since 2021, five years later, and he has climbed to ninth place in the league batting average rankings. In short, he is living what can only be described as a "second golden age."

Within the team, Seo's value extends beyond his performance at the plate. Having returned to his original team after six years, he is recognized for contributing both on and off the field by leading younger players as a veteran and serving as a central figure for the team.

After finalizing his new contract, Seo stated, "Rather than focusing solely on personal statistics, I will strive to be a player who can effectively lead my teammates and have a positive impact on the team." He further added, "I will do my best in every role assigned to me, both on and off the field, so that Heroes can once again rise among the league's top teams," vowing to meet the organization's expectations.

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*This content was translated by AI.