'Even with Kim Do-young and Park Jae-hyun absent,' Here's Why KIA Worries Less: With Two 37-Year-Old Veterans, They Eye Moving from Third to Second Place

*This content was translated by AI.

Even if Kim Do-young (23) and Park Jae-hyun (20) are temporarily away, the KIA Tigers still have the strength to hold their ground. This is because of two 37-year-old veterans, Kim Sun-bin and Na Sung-beom, who have recently revitalized themselves in the final stretch of the season.

That symbolic moment came during the Gwangju KT Wiz game on the 5th. In the bottom of the fifth inning with no outs and runners on first and second, KIA trailed 1-3. Kim Sun-bin stepped up to the plate without initially thinking he would be the one to solve the situation. Waiting behind him was Kim Do-young.

After the game, reflecting on that moment, Kim Sun-bin said, "I didn't think I had to solve it because (Kim) Do-young was waiting behind me. I only intended to hit a base hit. Even though I showed a bunt motion, as the count became unfavorable, I thought, 'If we're going down, let's go down alone.'"

The result of thinking about team strategy turned out far greater than expected: a massive three-run triple splitting the gap between center and right field. It wasn't even under instructions from the base running coach; he ran to third base on his own judgment. Thanks to Kim Sun-bin's full sprint, KIA immediately tied the game at 3-3 and later took the lead, winning 6-3.

In fact, as Kim Sun-bin was running toward third base, he began to regret it. He laughed, saying, "The moment I started running, I thought, 'Wow, this is going to be an out. I made a wrong judgment.' Then I wondered, 'Why did I run when (Kim) Do-young was behind me?'"

KIA manager Lee Beom-ho recalled that scene the next day (the 6th), smiling and saying, "He was still fast." He added, "A double and a triple are clearly different. Just the fact that he made that decision and ran is enough to be grateful for. It might be the Park Jae-hyun effect; his speed is still alive," praising him.

It wasn't just offense. In the top of the fourth inning with two outs and runners on first and third, while KIA trailed 1-2, Kim Sun-bin made a spectacular diving catch to rob a sharp hit that seemed destined to slip between Kim Hyun-soo's legs at first and second base. Had it dropped, another run could have scored.

Manager Lee explained, "If that had fallen in, it would have led to runs and made the game much harder. His lateral movement and running were both in great condition. It seems he recovered well after a few days off as a designated hitter."

Under meticulous management, Kim Sun-bin's bat has also come back to life. After struggling with a .214 batting average over 23 games in June, he steadily improved his pace: .304 in 18 games in July and .354 in 15 games in August. In his recent 10 games, he recorded a .313 batting average (10 hits in 32 at-bats), including three doubles and one triple.

In truth, he is still not satisfied. Kim Sun-bin said, "I went through a lot mentally in the first half. The results were far worse than I expected." He added, "Now that I'm gradually finding my rhythm, I need to deliver better results in the remaining games. Right now, I think I'm performing at about 60-70%."

Another veteran, Na Sung-beom, is also on fire. This season, he has recorded a .300 batting average (125 hits in 416 at-bats) over 116 games, with 27 home runs, 83 RBIs, and an OPS of 0.929. He needs just three more home runs to reach the 30th-home run mark, a milestone he has never achieved since joining KIA in 2022. His batting average in scoring position is also .351, fulfilling his role as a key problem-solver.

The effect of increased opportunities at designated hitter after Choi Hyung-woo's departure is also clear. By reducing defensive burdens, he maximized his offensive production, and his OPS has climbed to fourth in the league.

Manager Lee Beom-ho emphasized the importance of these two veterans. He stated, "Recently, (Na) Sung-beom hasn't been able to play as a designated hitter, so we need to manage his condition carefully. Both Sung-beom and (Kim) Sun-bin are in great shape. Whether these two remain with the team until the end of this season will significantly change the team's performance. There is still much for both of them to contribute."

The day when the manager's concerns over designated hitter allocation naturally ease will soon arrive. After their game on the 14th, KIA will send Kim Do-young and Park Jae-hyun, along with Sung Young-tak (22), to the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games national team. The central lineup featuring a .398 home run and 98 RBI hitter, a young outfielder with 15 home runs and 19 stolen bases, and a key reliever with a 3.12 ERA, seven holds, and 12 saves will all be absent for about two weeks simultaneously.

As of the conclusion on the 6th, KIA stands in fourth place with 66 wins, 2 draws, and 52 losses. They trail third-place LG Twins by just half a game and lead fifth-place Doosan Bears by 4.5 games. Attention can also turn upward; they are 4.5 games behind second-place KT. KT will also lose three key pitchers—So Hyoung-jun (25), Oh Won-seok (25), and Park Young-hyun (23)—during the Asian Games period. Depending on how KIA navigates this gap, there is ample room for them to climb further in the standings.

Kim Do-young's absence cannot be considered small. Kim Sun-bin also acknowledged when asked about it, saying, "We can't say (Kim) Do-young's absence isn't significant." Still, with Kim Sun-bin and Na Sung-beom timely raising their batting form, KIA has become somewhat less worried. Now, it is time for these two veterans to support KIA's autumn playoff race.

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*This content was translated by AI.