[Official] A huge hit! Kim Do-young surpasses Kwak Bin to be named August Monthly MVP → '40 home runs within reach' — his power-hitting instinct is recognized

*This content was translated by AI.

KIA Tigers 'superstar' Kim Do-young (23) has claimed the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League August Monthly MVP award, showcasing explosive power-hitting ability.

The KBO (Korea Baseball Organization) announced on the afternoon of the 7th that "in the voting for the August Monthly MVP, Kim Do-young received 10 out of 35 votes from the media panel (28.6%) and 277,640 out of 495,144 fan votes (56.1%), totaling 42.32 points to finish first." He overtook second-place Kwak Bin of the Doosan Bears, who received the most media votes with 14 (totaling 23.89 points), thanks to overwhelming fan support, completing a stunning comeback victory.

Over the month of August, Kim Do-young appeared in 15 games, posting a .321 batting average (18 hits in 56 at-bats), 6 home runs, 12 RBIs, 16 runs scored, and 2 stolen bases, leading his team's offense. Notably, he recorded an on-base percentage of .457 and a slugging percentage of .714, showcasing an incredible OPS of 1.171. He ranked alone first in both runs scored and slugging percentage, while tying for first place in home runs, proving himself as the league's top hitter.

His pace for breaking records remains unstoppable. On August 26 against the Gwangju Lotte Giants, Kim Do-young hit his 39th home run of the season, surpassing the single-season record of 38 home runs he set in the 2024 season. This leaves him just one home run away from becoming the first Korean hitter to reach 40 home runs since 2018, when Kim Jae-hwan, Park Byung-ho, and Han Yu-seom achieved the feat — a milestone not reached domestically for eight years.

Lee Beon (수상) is Kim Do-young's third career Monthly MVP award (March–April and June of 2024). This places him second all-time in KIA Tigers history, behind only pitcher Yang Hyeon-jong, who has won the award five times.

As the August MVP, Kim Do-young will receive a trophy and a cash prize of 3 million won. Additionally, through Shinhan Bank's sponsorship, a donation of 2 million won in his name will be delivered to his alma mater, Gwangju Dongseong Middle School.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.