*This content was translated by AI.
A fierce momentum as if splitting the ball. An incredible power display. He has once again unleashed a super-sized home run cannon. Yuniono Severino (27), the new foreign hitter for Doosan Bears who was once engulfed in rumors of being cut, is now showing off his terrifying presence.
On the 18th at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium, during Kiwoom Heroes' regular-season home game in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League, Severino started as the designated hitter batting fifth. He recorded two hits in four at-bats (including one home run), one RBI, one run scored, one walk, and one stolen base.
However, Doosan ended in a 6-6 tie after an intense 11-inning battle, failing to secure a victory. Nevertheless, with the sixth-place NC Dinos losing to Lotte Giants on the same day, the gap between Doosan and NC widened further to 5.5 games.
Attention is increasingly focused on Severino's performance, as he has recorded hits in eight consecutive games. He is fully demonstrating his power-hitting instincts, hitting three home runs across those eight games.
Before this game, Kim Won-hyung, the manager of Doosan Bears, commented on Severino's recent performance: "In fact, early on, I had significant concerns about Severino's swing itself. His swing was too high when dealing with fastballs, which caused me great worry. However, although not consistently, he has been finding his swing in each game he plays. As a result, he is now providing major help to the team at the end of games. When he steps up to the plate, you start to expect something special." He praised Severino's efforts.
In this game, Severino hit a home run in his first at-bat. In the bottom of the second inning, with Doosan trailing 0-2 and no runners on base with one out, Severino stepped up to the plate. Facing Kiwoom's starter Alcantara, he watched the first pitch—a 154 km/h fastball—go by without swinging. The second pitch was a slider that came right down the middle, and Severino swung hard. The ball soared over the center-right field wall for a home run. This was Severino's fourth home run of the season, traveling an impressive 139.8 meters. The exit velocity was 172.9 km/h, with a launch angle of 27.7 degrees.
That was not the end. In his second at-bat in the bottom of the fourth inning, he appeared as the leadoff hitter and hit an extra-base hit to center-right field, completing a multi-hit game. Alcantara's first pitch—a 151 km/h fastball—came outside, and Severino immediately swung, dropping the ball into the center-right field. However, with no follow-up hits, he did not score.
Severino grounded out to second base in the sixth inning and struck out in the seventh. In the bottom of the ninth, with two outs and runners on first and second, he faced Yuto and displayed excellent plate discipline by drawing a walk after an 11-pitch battle. Ultimately, Severino completed a three-on-base game.
Severino achieved a perfect comeback starting from the away game against SSG Landers on the 7th. From that game to this one, he has recorded hits in eight consecutive games. In particular, following home runs against Kiwoom Heroes on the 10th and NC Dinos on the 13th, he hit another home run in today's game. Over these eight games, his batting average was 0.522 (12 hits in 23 at-bats), on-base percentage 0.560, slugging percentage 0.913, and OPS (on-base plus slugging) reached an impressive 1.473.
In fact, after joining Doosan, Severino struggled for a while and even spent time in the minor league. He was notified on the 13th of last month to move to the minor league. Before that, in 15 games this season, he recorded a batting average of 0.235 (12 hits in 51 at-bats), three RBIs, nine walks, and 18 strikeouts, with an on-base percentage of 0.350, slugging percentage of 0.314, and OPS of 0.664.
After spending about ten days in the minor league, Severino returned to the first team and performed well with a multi-hit game against Lotte Giants on the 23rd. In his match against Kiwoom on the 30th of last month, he hit his first home run on Korean soil—a super-sized home run (146.2 meters) that struck the center scoreboard directly at Jamsil Stadium. 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 rebuilding confidence and mental strength. Those efforts are now yielding positive results. I am grateful to the Futures League coaching staff."
And as the manager predicted, as the season nears its conclusion, Severino is delivering invaluable performances and providing significant help to the team. Most notably, excitement builds for the autumn baseball stage—the playoffs. What kind of performance will Severino show?
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*This content was translated by AI.
