'Power is real': 180 km/h bullet hit → 140m super-sized game-winning blast, emotional Jamsil big boy: "It could have changed, but I am so grateful"

*This content was translated by AI.

"I am so grateful."

Lee Jae-won (27, LG Twins), who hit the game-winning home run, repeatedly expressed his gratitude. This also meant that there was nothing more natural for him to feel this way. Lee, who had gone through a difficult period due to injury and poor performance, delivered a refreshing performance that boosted the team as it rode a six-game winning streak toward the end of the season.

On the 19th at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Songpa-gu, Seoul, Lee hit a solo home run that soared well over the center-field fence in the bottom of the 8th inning against Hanwha Eagles in a 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League home game, leading his team to a 2-1 victory.

After joining LG in 2018 and drawing attention as a power-hitting prospect expected to lead the team, Lee failed to hit double-digit home runs except for one season in 2022. Although he gained confidence by hitting 26 home runs while serving with the Army Soccer Team (Military Service) last year before being discharged, expectations were high; however, he was sidelined by injury for about a month and his batting feel remained poor, limiting him to just 47 games this season.

When he made contact, the ball would fly far, but the accuracy was always disappointing. Lee, who had entered as a pinch-hitter the previous day and hit an infield single, started in place of Hong Chang-ki, whose condition was not good, and delivered a big performance.

In his first two at-bats, he returned with a center-field fly ball and a strikeout, but in the bottom of the 8th inning when both teams were tied 1-1, Lee attacked Hanwha's reliever Jo Dong-wook. With a 1-0 count, he boldly swung at a fastball clocked at 145.7 km/h on the second pitch. The bullet hit, reaching an incredible speed of 180.1 km/h, became a 140-meter game-winning blast that easily cleared the deepest center-field fence at Jamsil Stadium. It was Lee's fifth home run of the season.

He was surprised himself. After the game, Lee told reporters, "I think it was one of the most memorable moments in my baseball career. It's even more thrilling because the team is on a winning streak and I could keep going." He added, "There haven't been many such scenes for me in the first division during my time playing baseball, so today will be very memorable."

Yeom Kyung-yeop, the manager, said, "Lee Jae-won recorded his first game-winning home run in a long time and led the team to victory. I hope he gains even more confidence from today's performance and grows into the next level."

It was an incredible home-run blast. Despite a launch angle of only 21.5 degrees, the ball hit with tremendous force flew like a bullet, easily clearing the deepest center-field fence at Jamsil Stadium. It is also surprising that the ball did not go to the left side as one might expect from a pull shot.

Lee said, "Actually, I thought it was a bit late. I thought it would either be caught or hit the wall, so I decided to run all the way to third base and sprinted quickly, but it turned out well." He added, "It's not my first time hitting such a shot, but it has been a long time. Because of the trajectory, I thought it would hit the fence."

With strong pitching from both teams' starters, the game was heading toward a one-run victory, and Lee's immediate attack on the reliever completely shifted the momentum. Thanks to that, he received rough celebrations from his teammates. Lee said, "My teammates were so happy for me, and I am grateful. But I think I felt a bit dizzy. My head must have been hit too hard." He smiled and added, "Still, they celebrated so much, and I am truly grateful."

"While rounding the bases, I thought about my family the most," Lee said. "As soon as I got home, I wanted to call my mom and dad and talk to my sister." For Lee, this season had been one that did not go as planned. He explained, "Because I couldn't react well to fastballs for a long time, I think I lacked boldness. I kept watching the ball passively and checking it out, but now I realized I need to be more aggressive." He added, "I asked the manager and coaches for video analysis, and the data analysis team provided a lot of help, which led to good results."

His mindset was to swing boldly from the front even if he struck out. Lee explained, "I think my decline started when I tried to hit from behind the plate. After watching a lot of videos, I realized I could be more aggressive, but I didn't do it, which was disappointing, so I decided to try being bolder."

Despite failing in his first two at-bats, he was satisfied that he got another chance to step up to the plate for the third time. His confidence had clearly dropped. "I am so grateful to the manager," Lee said. "After my first and second at-bats didn't go well, I thought I might be replaced in the third at-bat, but the manager trusted me and kept using me until the end, so I am truly grateful. That is what I am thinking about a lot."

As LG heads toward autumn baseball, the future is even more important. Lee said, "The team needs to keep winning, and if we continue our winning streak, the two teams above us might lose at some point. We are focusing on keeping the wins going." He added, "My teammates have played so well that I just need to follow their lead."

Given the high expectations, Lee had disappointed many fans. However, after today's home run, fans chanted his name, showing that their expectations for him remain valid.

Lee said, "All I can think is how grateful I am. Even though I feel very grateful, I also get emotional." He added, "My performance has been like a roller coaster with good and bad times, but because of all the attention and love you have given me, I always feel so thankful."

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*This content was translated by AI.