'Won Tae-in's first pitch, a thunderous crack' Choi Won-jun explodes for 202 hits! Surpasses Seo Geon-chang to set new KBO domestic player single-season record for most hits [Suwon on-site]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

KT Wiz's "bargain FA" Choi Won-jun (29) has finally matched the KBO League single-season record for most hits.

Choi Won-jun, starting as the leadoff hitter and designated hitter in the home game against the Samsung Lions on the 7th at Suwon KT Wiz Park in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular season, is currently recording one hit and one walk in two at-bats.

The long-awaited hit came in his third at-bat. After grounding out to second base in his first at-bat, Choi Won-jun drew a walk as the leadoff hitter in the bottom of the third inning. Entering the batter's box again with two outs in the bottom of the fifth, he did not miss Samsung starter Won Tae-in's (26) first-pitch curveball. The ball Choi Won-jun lifted headed toward the right-center field fence. The Samsung outfielders chased it but could not catch it, and Choi Won-jun arrived at second base with ease.

It was his 202nd hit of the season. With this one swing, Choi Won-jun tied the KBO League single-season record of 202 hits set by Victor Reyes (32, Lotte Giants) in 2024. It is a new single-season record for most hits among domestic players.

Until just one day earlier, Choi Won-jun's goal was a different number. On the 6th, in the game against the Kiwoom Heroes at Gocheok, Choi Won-jun recorded two hits and three runs scored in six at-bats. Having recorded 199 hits before the game, he hit his 200th hit of the season with a double down the right-field line in the third inning, and then added another hit to left field in his next at-bat, jumping straight up to 201 hits.

Following Seo Geon-chang (37, then-Nexen Heroes) in 2014 and Reyes in 2024, he became the third player in history to reach 200 hits, marking the first time for a domestic player in 12 years. It was also the first single-season 200-hit mark in KT's franchise history.

In particular, the 201st hit held special significance for Choi Won-jun. After the previous day's (the 6th) game, he had expressed his desire to surpass Seo Geon-chang's record of 201 hits set in a 128-game schedule, a player he had watched and received much help from since childhood. And within a day, he turned that wish into reality. Not only did he surpass 201, but he climbed all the way to 202, the highest record in KBO League history.

It was a run that would have been hard to predict even before the season. After finishing last season with a batting average of .242, Choi Won-jun earned free agent (FA) status and signed with KT for a total of 4.8 billion won over four years. At the time of the contract, there were views that his price was high compared to his previous season's performance, but he completely reversed those evaluations in his first year after the transfer, earning the nickname "bargain FA."

"Bargain" is a colloquial term meaning excellent cost-performance. It originated from convenience store products launched by actress Kim Hye-ja, which were known for their rich contents relative to their low prices, and has since commonly been applied to people or products with outstanding value for money.

Signs were already apparent in the first half of the season. He smashed 116 hits in 79 games, showing a pace toward 206 hits, and during an interview with StarNews at the time, he stated that "200 hits was a goal I had dreamed of since my professional debut." The number, which seemed like a vague dream, became reality as autumn arrived.

However, the competition for the single-season record for most hits is not yet over. Reyes, the previous record holder, had already become the first player in KBO League history to record 200 hits in a single season twice, thanks to a multi-hit game the day before. In particular, he decorated his 201st hit with a home run, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Choi Won-jun. Reyes also reached 202 hits by recording an infield hit as the leadoff hitter in the bottom of the fifth inning at the same time.

Now, the two are heading toward a new single-season record for most hits that no one has ever achieved in KBO League history.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original