Liberato powers Hanwha Eagles' nine-game surge

Hanwha Eagles have made a bold decision in the middle of a tight KBO title race. Instead of waiting on injured outfielder Estevan Florial, the team officially signed Luis David Liberato, who had initially joined the club as a six-week temporary replacement. The move came after just 15 games, but it is already paying off. Since the deal was finalized, Liberato’s bat has only gotten hotter, giving Hanwha a timely boost as the second half of the season begins.

On July 20, Liberato led the offense in a road game against KT Wiz, going 3-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs. In the seventh inning, with two outs and a runner on first, he launched a 125-meter shot over the center-field wall off a 126-kilometer-per-hour forkball from KT’s Son Dong-hyun. He crossed the plate three times that night, contributing to Hanwha’s dominant 10-0 win and extending the team’s winning streak to nine games.

Liberato was never meant to stay long. He joined Hanwha as a short-term fill-in and was scheduled to leave after six weeks. But his debut on June 22 was a statement: three hits in five at-bats. Over the 15 games before the All-Star break, he posted a .387 batting average with two home runs and 13 RBIs, filling the void left by Florial, who had struggled both at the plate and with focus on the field.

Impressed by his performance, Hanwha signed him to a full contract just before a three-game series against KT following the All-Star break. Liberato continued to shine, hitting .538 (7-for-13) during the series and raising his season average to .413. He has failed to record a hit in only three of his 18 games so far, showing remarkable consistency. Despite the growing attention, Liberato said he remains unfazed. “From the day I arrived in Korea, I’ve just focused on each at-bat,” he said. “The contract was never my concern.”

Hanwha’s momentum has soared along with Liberato’s performance. Since his arrival, the team has gone 13-4-1, winning at a .722 clip. The current nine-game winning streak, which began on July 4 against Kiwoom and extended through the July 20 win over KT, is Hanwha’s second such run this season. The Eagles also won 11 straight earlier this year, and their previous nine-game win streak in May was their first since June 14, 2005.

Liberato’s contributions have been especially valuable in addressing one of Hanwha’s earlier weaknesses: scoring with runners in position. He is hitting .625 with runners in scoring position, showing a knack for delivering in key moments. As Hanwha eyes a return to the postseason, Liberato has quickly become one of its most important engines.


jero@donga.com