He set a KBO record for most hits, but can he really not win the Golden Glove? Lotte's Reyes, who faced off against the batting champion with 208 hits and the RBI leader with 139 RBIs, challenges for the first three-peat by a foreign player

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Despite hitting 211 hits, a mark no one in KBO League history has ever reached, he cannot guarantee the Golden Glove. Lotte Giants' Victor Reyes (32) challenges for the first three-consecutive-year Golden Glove win by a foreign player against formidable competitors.

The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) announced 79 candidates for the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO Golden Glove on the 17th. Among them, there are a total of 21 outfielders, and only three will enjoy the honor of Choi Jong (수상). This year's outfielder category is a battleground for major batting title holders. Reyes' competitors include Gu Ja-yuk (33, Samsung Lions), who leads in batting average and on-base percentage; Choi Won-jun (29), who leads in runs scored; Sam Hilliard (32, both KT Wiz), who leads in RBIs; and Hwang Seong-bin (29, Lotte), who leads in stolen bases.

Among these, Reyes' most powerful weapon is his historic 211 hits. Reyes recorded a .363 batting average (211 hits in 582 at-bats), 18 home runs, 109 RBIs, a .410 on-base percentage, and a .527 slugging percentage this year. He broke the KBO League single-season record of 202 hits that he himself set in 2024. He was not solely focused on hit production, as he also ranked second in the league in batting average and sixth in RBIs.

In particular, the race for the most hits with Choi Won-jun remained intense until the very end of the season. At one point, Choi Won-jun was leading, but Reyes did not let go of the pursuit until the finish line. In the final regular-season game against the Doosan Bears on the 12th, Reyes went 4-for-5 with a home run. Although Choi Won-jun also recorded 208 hits, Reyes finished the season with 211 hits.

It is not simply a single-season great record. Following 202 hits in 2024 and 187 hits in 2025, Reyes recorded 211 hits this year. He accumulated exactly 600 hits over three years, winning the most hits title for the third consecutive season. He also achieved playing in every game for three straight years, proving his consistency and durability.

However, the competitors are equally qualified to receive the Golden Glove for their own reasons. Gu Ja-yuk recorded a .371 batting average (156 hits in 420 at-bats), 15 home runs, 102 RBIs, a .458 on-base percentage, and a .581 slugging percentage this year. He leads the league in both batting average and on-base percentage. His OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) reaches 1.039. With a slugging percentage ranking fourth in the league, he surpassed Reyes in batting productivity that combines accuracy and power.

Choi Won-jun cannot be overlooked either. After finishing last year with a .242 batting average, he made a perfect comeback in his first year after transferring to KT, recording a .356 batting average (208 hits in 585 at-bats), 9 home runs, 74 RBIs, 125 runs scored, and 28 stolen bases. In particular, he hit .413 (57 hits in 138 at-bats) from September to October, contributing to KT's regular-season championship. His 208 hits would have been the KBO League single-season record if Reyes had not existed.

Hilliard emerged as an MVP candidate with a .304 batting average (167 hits in 550 at-bats), 41 home runs, 130 RBIs, 112 runs scored, and 10 stolen bases in 139 games, along with a .371 on-base percentage, a .580 slugging percentage, and an OPS of 0.951. He ranks second in home runs, first in RBIs, and third in slugging percentage. In the latter half of the season, he served as a central hitter leading KT to the championship with his power. His 139 RBIs in a single season is also a record ranking seventh in KBO history for a single season.

While each competitor has distinct strengths, Reyes has the differentiators of records that will remain in KBO history and consistency maintained over three years. Furthermore, 211 hits is a number no one has recorded since the launch of the KBO League. This is the most certain reason why Reyes deserves this year's Golden Glove.

Reyes also won the outfielder Golden Glove in 2024 and 2025. If he wins again this year, he will write a new history by becoming the first foreign player in KBO League history to win the Golden Glove for three consecutive years. The Golden Glove winners will be announced at the ceremony held on December 8 at the Seoul Lotte Hotel World.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original