As the KBO season progresses, here is a look at the top news and notes from the past week in Korea’s highest level of professional baseball.
Tigers’ Kim Do-Yeong Joins 20-20 Club With Home Run
Kim Do-yeong, an infielder for the KIA Tigers, hit his 20th home run of the season on Sunday to join the 20-20 club in the KBO, which recognizes players who hit 20 home runs and steal 20 bases in a season.
Kim hit his home run off of former MLB pitcher and current Hanwha Eagle Ryu Hyun-jin in the bottom of the fourth inning of Sunday’s game, becoming the second youngest player (20 years, eight months, 21 days) in KBO history to join the 20-20 club.
According to The Korea Herald, Kim is the third player in KBO history to accomplish the feat before the All-Star break. Designated hitter Eric Thames of the NC Dinos was the last player to hit 20 home runs and steal 20 bases before the All-Star break in 2015.
KBO All-Star Weekend to Include Fun Activities for Fans
A water park in a baseball stadium? That is what the KBO has planned for fans attending the KBO All-Star Game and other events happening on July 5 and 6 at Incheon SSG Landers Field.
The Korea Bizwire reports the KBO will introduce a “Water Festival” during the KBO All-Star Game to add fun for players and fans. “Water cannons installed at the first and third base cheer platforms will shoot streams of water during key moments of the game, effectively turning the baseball stadium into a water park,” a KBO official told The Korea Bizwire.
Additional events during the KBO All-Star Weekend include the Futures All-Star Game between the best young prospects in the Northern League and the Southern League on July 5, a Home Run Derby featuring eight of the top sluggers in the KBO, and opportunities to receive an autograph from their favorite All-Star.
Lions’ David MacKinnon Drives in Seven Runs in One Game
Samsung Lions first baseman David McKinnon had the game of his life in the second game of a doubleheader against the Doosan Bears on Sunday, going 4-for-5 with seven RBI in a 10-4 win. The Lions took both games of the doubleheader against the Bears.
With the Lions up 7-4 in the bottom of the eighth, MacKinnon came up to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs and drilled a fastball to the right-center field wall to clear the bases and extend Samsung’s lead to six. The 29-year-old previously played in Nippon Professional Baseball for the Saitama Seibu Lions and MLB for the Los Angeles Angels and Oakland Athletics.
The Lions will need more heroics from MacKinnon. As of Monday, they were only two games behind the KIA Tigers for first place in the KBO. In their three-game series against the Bears, they outscored their opponent 24-12.
This Day in Korean Baseball History
On June 24, 2022, South Korean infielder Hoy Park hit a solo home run in the top of the fifth inning for the Pittsburgh Pirates to tie their game against the Tampa Bay Rays at three. The solo shot was Park’s last home run at the MLB level since then, and he’s currently playing in the Oakland Atheltic’s organization with Triple-A Las Vegas.
Unfortunately for Park, Harold Ramirez hit a walk-off single for the Rays in the bottom of the 10th inning, wasting his two-hit day.
Park has five career homers in 68 MLB games and was dealt from the New York Yankees to the Pirates in 2021 as part of the deal that saw future All-Star closer Clay Holmes head to New York.
KBO Standings as of Monday, June 24
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Photo Credit: Samsung Lions players celebrate after winning. (Photo by Han Myung-Gu/Getty Images)
