Kim Ha-sung started as the ninth shortstop in the 2024 Major League Baseball’s home game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Petco Park in San Diego, California on the 11th (Korea time) and recorded two hits, one walk and two strikeouts in two at-bats.
His batting average for this season has dropped from 211 to 288. Although he was a “luxury” in defense, he rarely produced a result at bat. Did he get stressed out as no hit was made? He expressed his anger unusually.
Kim Ha-sung struck out Dodgers starter Tyler Glasnow’s sinker at 97.1 mph (156.2 km) in the seventh pitch in the third inning when Kampusano’s solo home run began to take a 1-0 lead.
In the second at-bat, he walked with a ball that went out to Glasnow’s outside. Taking the batter’s box with one out in the sixth inning, Kim endured a four-seam fastball of 96.9 miles per hour that went out after a full count match with Glasnow.
In the eighth inning, he displayed quality defense. With runners at the first and second bases with one out, Max Muncy sent a pitch to center field, heading between the shortstop and the second base.
Kim Ha-sung’s defensive position was good. Muncy’s ball went toward Kim Ha-sung. However, it is not easy to make a double play. Kim quickly stepped on the second base and threw out the leading runner.
He then threw quickly to the first base. Kim Ha-sung’s running throw precisely went into the first baseman Jake Cronenworth glove. He was faster than Muncy, the batter. The Dodgers bench asked for a video review, but the original trial remained the same.
However, he failed to smile until the end at bat. Kim Ha-sung also struck out at the last at bat in the ninth inning, when he was at second base with no outs. At that time, Kim’s anger was expressed.
In the ninth inning, leadoff hitter Luis Campusano doubled. With no outs and runners on second base, Kim Ha-sung tried to bunt Michael Grove’s first pitch, but failed to reach it and became a strike.
He continued to prepare for the bunt, but Grove also tried to bunt on the third, but Grove’s ball went out. But the referee ruled for a strike.
Kim Ha-sung was unfair and entered the dugout when the bat swung on Grove’s fourth slider. There was also a pretend to hit the bat before leaving the batter’s box. That’s how much his dissatisfaction was expressed.
In the broadcast episode, MLB.com ‘s broadcast video shows Kim Ha-sung’s situation intact. The team won 2-1 thanks to Luis Arraez’s walk-off hit after Kim Ha-sung was out. However, Kim Ha-sung had no choice but to be a disappointing day.
Kim Ha-sung will face off against Dodgers starter James Paxton on Wednesday. The Dodgers have announced Paxton and San Diego Padres will start Matt Waldron, respectively.
Paxton has four wins and no losses with a 3.06 ERA in six games this season. He is a veteran pitcher who had 11 or more wins in three consecutive seasons from 2017 to 2019. He is showing off his pitching that seems to be in his second heyday this year. Attention is focusing on whether Kim Ha-sung will be able to recover his batting sense against such a pitcher. 먹튀검증