How could this be? Swallowed by 'dismissal rumors' → A stunning reversal with a 'batting average of 0.526' explosion! He really made the right substitution... It's all because of this '40% batting average' record he is currently hitting.

*This content was translated by AI.

Once surrounded by rumors that he might be dismissed, he has finally shown his true worth. In his recent seven games, his batting average boasts an impressive .500s. The star of this turnaround is Yuneo Severino (27), the new foreign hitter who joined Doosan Bears at the end of the season.

On the 16th, Doosan secured a 3-1 victory over Samsung Lions in their home game of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular season held at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium.

With this win, Doosan achieved a two-game winning streak, finishing with 65 wins, 60 losses, and 4 ties, maintaining sole possession of fifth place in the league. They are three games ahead of fourth-place KIA Tigers and 4.5 games ahead of sixth-place NC Dinos.

Severino started as the designated hitter batting fifth that day, going 2-for-3 with two RBIs.

His bat began swinging boldly from the bottom of the first inning. With two outs and runners on first and third, Severino stepped up to the plate for his first at-bat. As Samsung's foreign ace Chris Paddack's cutter (139 km/h) moved toward the center of the plate, he swung without hesitation. The well-hit ball soared over the center fielder's head, resulting in a extra-base hit. During this play, third baseman Park Ji-hoon and first baseman Yang Eui-ji both crossed home plate. It was a two-run double.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, he appeared as the leadoff batter but was limited to a groundout to shortstop. Then, in the bottom of the sixth, he hit another double with no runners on base and two outs. Facing Paddack still on the mound, he drove a ball past the third baseman for a double. Notably, even while facing an unfavorable 0-2 count, he maintained his focus and effortlessly pushed an outside fastball for a hit. Severino was then replaced by pinch-runner Jeon Da-min to conclude his game.

After the game, Doosan manager Kim Won-hyung, hailed as the "winning coach," praised Severino, saying, "Severino scored runs with aggressive swings from the first pitch of the top of the first inning," and applauded him.

Severino staged a remarkable comeback starting from the away game against SSG Landers on the 7th. From that game through the Samsung matchup on the 16th, he recorded hits in seven consecutive games. Notably, he hit home runs in the Kiwoom Heroes game on the 10th and the NC Dinos game on the 13th.

Severino's batting average over his recent seven games reached an impressive .526 (19 at-bats, 10 hits). During this period, his on-base percentage was .550, slugging percentage was .842, and OPS (on-base plus slugging) soared to 1.392. Particularly encouraging is his batting average with runners in scoring position. Having played 32 games this season, his batting average in scoring position stands at .400. Compared to the previous foreign hitter Daz Cameron's .244 average in scoring position, this is a clearly encouraging development.

When Doosan signed Severino on July 2, they stated he is "a type of player who creates strong hits from both sides of the plate based on excellent swing mechanics" and added, "We expect him to contribute to the team's offensive production in clutch situations."

Severino, a right-handed batter and thrower from the Dominican Republic, stands 183 cm tall and weighs 85 kg. He played 197 games over three seasons in Triple-A, posting a .242 batting average, 0.770 OPS (on-base plus slugging), 34 home runs, and 111 RBIs. Before coming to Korea, he played in Mexico this season. Playing for Olmecas de Tabasco in the Mexican League, he recorded a .340 batting average, 0.931 OPS, 5 home runs, and 44 RBIs in 54 games.

After joining Doosan, Severino struggled for a while and was even sent down to the minor league. He received notification on the 13th of last month to go to the second team. Before being demoted, he had played 15 games this season with a .235 batting average (51 at-bats, 12 hits), 3 RBIs, 9 walks, and 18 strikeouts, recording a .350 on-base percentage, .314 slugging percentage, and 0.664 OPS. With no home runs from the foreign hitter as expected, voices calling him the worst foreign hitter in history emerged, along with dismissal rumors.

After returning to the first team following a ten-day stint, Severino performed well with multiple hits in his comeback game against Lotte Giants on the 23rd. On the 30th of last month against Kiwoom, he connected for his first home run on Korean soil—a massive shot that struck the center scoreboard directly at Jamsil Stadium (distance: 146.2 meters). At the time, Severino said, "During my time in the minor league, I worked hard on my swing to regain my feel, but I also focused on regaining confidence and mental stability. That effort is now yielding good results. I am grateful to the Futures League coaching staff."

If Severino continues to show form like he has recently, his status for next year will likely be re-evaluated from scratch. It remains to be seen what kind of destructive power he will display during the remainder of the regular season and if Doosan advances to the postseason. Expectations among Doosan fans are rising.

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*This content was translated by AI.