Kim Ha-sung hits first homer in 8th game since Big League debut

It was a big hit that was thrilling just as much as the long period of time he has been eagerly waiting.

San Diego Padres “rookie” Kim Ha-sung has hit his first homer in the eighth game since his debut in the Major League Baseball. In an away game against the Texas Rangers on Saturday, Kim hit a long-range homer that struck the left-side pole when he took the batter’s box as the first batter in the top of the fifth inning.

Having started as ninth batter and shortstop, Kim swung on the third pitch, a curve ball, in his second showdown with Texas’ starting pitcher Jordan Lyles (31), to hit the homer. After passing the first pitch, a curve, and the second pitch, a slider, Kim swung on the third pitch, a curve that was heading inwards to him, and made a 118-meter homerun. The hit measured 165 kilometers per hour and had a launch angle of 35 degrees. He thus made his first long-distance hit into a homer at his 19th time at bat in the Big League. Kim had a hit by pitched ball in his first time at bat on the day. He added a walk, and got on to base as many as three times during the game. With a hit from two times at bat, he also elevated his batting average from 0.167 to 0.200. As many as 35,856 people occupied the spectators’ stand during the game, which allowed fans to fill the stand 100 percent for the first time since the pandemic started.

Kim had the chance to play as a starting member in the game as his teammate and main shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. had a shoulder injury. Kim is gradually adapting himself to the Major League in both offense and defense. Playing in the game against Texas as shortstop on Friday, he also helped his team to secure a no-hit no-run game, which was the first ever for the team. His team’s starting pitcher Joseph Anthony Musgrove (29) gave no runs, and posted no hit, one dead ball and 10 strikeouts during nine innings, and Kim successfully caught a grounder heading to him, thus completing the 27th out for his team in the bottom of the ninth inning with two outs.

Texas won the Sunday game 7-4 thanks to a two-run homer by Trent Grisham (25), who was fielded in the bottom of the seventh inning. Kim had a walk to get on base and garnered a run with the homer. With five wins and two losses as of Sunday, San Diego is currently ranked second overall in the Western Division of the National League after the Los Angeles Dodgers (six wins and two losses), the winner of last year’s World Series.


Hong-Gu Kang windup@donga.com