KIA's No. 2 spot is set! OPS 0.910 Castro, Manager Lee Beom-ho: "Let the good hitters bat one more time" [Gwangju on-site]

*This content was translated by AI.

The long-discussed No. 2 hitter for KIA Tigers this season has finally been decided. It is Harold Castro (33), the team's top batter with an OPS of 0.910.

On the 4th, KIA revealed its starting lineup for the home game against KT Wiz at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field as part of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular season.

KIA's lineup that day was: Park Jae-hyun (left fielder), Harold Castro (first baseman), Kim Do-young (third baseman), Na Sung-beom (right fielder), Kim Sun-bin (designated hitter), Lee Ho-yeon (second baseman), Kim Ho-ryeong (center fielder), Kim Tae-gun (catcher), and Ha Joo-seok (shortstop). The starting pitcher is Adam Oller.

Until now, KIA struggled to maintain momentum despite placing players like Ha Joo-seok and Ko Jong-wook in the No. 2 spot, as the lineup often broke down. In the previous game on the 2nd against Changwon NC Dinos, Ko Jong-wook took his turn but went hitless in five at-bats, leading to a 2-3 loss for KIA.

This marks Castro's return to the No. 2 spot after nine days. Since joining KIA this year, Castro has primarily batted in the cleanup trio, posting a .323 batting average (94 hits in 291 at-bats), 15 home runs, 59 RBIs, and 48 runs scored, with an on-base percentage of 0.357, slugging percentage of 0.553, and OPS of 0.910. However, Castro is not in peak form either. Compared to his hot streak in June and July when he hit around .400, he has struggled recently: a .299 average (20 hits in 67 at-bats) over 15 games in August and no hits in eight at-bats across two games in September.

Before the game, KIA Manager Lee Beom-ho said, "It seems some batters' recent form has dipped slightly, so we tried to let our better hitters bat earlier to give them more opportunities."

The rainout cancellation on the previous day (the 3rd) was a blessing for KIA. This year, KIA has struggled against NC with only two wins and nine losses, including recent defeats via bases-loaded walks in both games, resulting in poor outcomes overall. Manager Lee expressed frustration: "(NC pitchers) tend to issue many walks against other teams, but against us, pitches that should have been outside the zone keep landing right on the strike zone line. While we do play aggressively, it feels like they are throwing with confidence."

As a result of the rainout cancellations, KIA now faces three additional rescheduled games. With the remaining schedule released through October 7th, it remains uncertain how these games will impact the standings race. Manager Lee emphasized, "There must be a reason heaven delayed these games. What's past is past; this three-game series against KT is the critical juncture."

KT has recently become one of the least desirable opponents for all nine KBO teams. Boasting a solid starting rotation and explosive offense, they defeated Hanwha Eagles in a high-scoring game the previous day to reclaim first place with a three-game winning streak. Fortunately, KIA holds the advantage in starting pitcher matchups. KIA replaced Yang Hyeon-jong with Oller yesterday. In his second KBO season, Oller has gone 11-9 with a 3.01 ERA over 23 games, striking out 144 batters in 134⅔ innings. This will be KT's first matchup against him.

KT's Bae Je-seong, who returned after a long rehabilitation, will take the mound on the opposite side. He has recorded one win, two losses, and one hold with a 4.25 ERA in 14 games this year. Against KIA specifically, he holds a 5.40 ERA in one appearance. With third-place KIA trailing first-place KT by 7.5 games, a sweep would reduce the gap to as little as 4.5 games.

Manager Lee noted, "We also have strong starters like Oller, Neil, and Yang Hyeon-jong in good form, but watching KT play yesterday was intimidating. They have excellent offensive power and experienced veterans who know how to play the game." He added, "Although our head-to-head record is weak (3 wins, 6 losses), if we perform well in this three-game series, the players will gain psychological stability. That could also help us in the upcoming series against Samsung and NC, so we are treating this as crucial."

Both KIA and Kim Do-young are also aiming for another historic milestone. After struggling with injuries last year following his 2024 MVP award, Kim Do-young has posted a .302 batting average (130 hits in 431 at-bats), 39 home runs, 98 RBIs, and 99 runs scored this season, with an OPS of 1.038, challenging to make his mark in KBO history.

If Kim Do-young hits his 40th home run before the conclusion of this three-game series against KT on September 6th, it will rewrite KBO history. It would be the youngest player ever to hit 40 home runs in a single season, surpassing former manager Lee Seung-yeop (50). Former Manager Lee achieved 40 home runs at age 22 years, 11 months, and 5 days during the 1999 season, finishing with 54 home runs to claim the home run title that year.

Manager Lee commented, "I think he might hit one in this three-game series. Last year, we aimed for 40 but narrowly missed. This year, he's also chasing the youngest 40-home run record and things are progressing well, but it seems to be adding pressure on (Kim) Do-young."

He continued with a smile, "Since this is former Manager Lee Seung-yeop's record as the best home run hitter in Korea, there will naturally be a desire to break it. Moreover, no one has achieved this in over 20 years, so he likely wants to do it himself. If this moment sparks positive change, it could greatly benefit Korean baseball moving forward. I believe he might hit one during this three-game series."

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*This content was translated by AI.