Kim Ha-Sung (28, San Diego Padres) has been getting a lot of praise in the United States. He is already considered one of the best players in the major leagues and is on the same level as them.

Kim started at first base and second base in the 2023 Major League Baseball (MLB) World Series against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, U.S., on Tuesday (June 10) and went 1-for-3 with a home run, one walk, three stolen bases, and one run scored.
Ha-seong Kim stole three bases in his first major league game.
Kim’s feet and base running skills were on full display. In the first inning, Kim stole two bases to set the tone for the rest of the game. After leading off the inning with a walk, Kim drew a five-pitch walk against Seattle starter Amerson Hancock, who was making his debut. The next batter was Fernando Tatis Jr. with a 0-1 count and two pitches. Kim made a bold run for second base. The catcher followed with a throw, but Kim’s feet were much faster. He stole his 25th base of the season by perfectly timing the pitcher’s throw. He even gestured as if he was going to take advantage of the momentary lapse and run to third base.

Eventually, Kim reached third base. Tatis Jr. struck out looking. On the ensuing Juan Soto pitch, Kim attempted a skip move, then slid into third base. He timed it so perfectly that Seattle catcher Carl Rowley caught the ball and couldn’t throw it out at all. The 26th stolen base of the season. On the next pitch, Soto’s fuzzy grounder to first, Ha-Sung Kim made a head-first slide to first base. The pitcher, who caught the ball, could barely throw home and threw to first, trading a run for one out. San Diego capitalized on Kim’s quick feet to take the lead without a hit.

In his second at-bat, Kim singled to center field, resuming his multi-hit streak that had been broken the day before (on the 9th) after just two at-bats. With the bases loaded. Kim worked himself into an 0-2 count and drew a one-pitch walk. Four pitches later, he took Hancock’s sinker and lined it to left-center field, slipping between the shortstop and second baseman. Kim has reached base in 15 consecutive games. According to A.J. Casabell of MLB.com, the official site of Major League Baseball, Kim tied the team record for the longest consecutive-game hitting streak in eight years since Matt Kemp (15 games) in 2015. And he did it again. With Hancock and Tatis Jr. battling it out, Kim stole second base on the ninth pitch. His 27th stolen base of the season. Kim became the first player to steal three bases in a game in his major league debut. The steal moved him into fourth place in the National League in stolen bases.

In the fifth inning, Kim stole his third base with one out, but after a five-pitch at-bat, he struck out on a check swing. Then, in the seventh inning, he was stranded with two outs on a fly ball to center field. After tying the game in the bottom of the third, San Diego scored five runs in the top of the eighth to fall to 1-6. Aside from Kim, who managed just four hits in the game, no other San Diego player had a significant impact. The team has lost four straight games. They are 55-60 and in fourth place in the National League West.

In 110 games this season, Kim is batting .288 with 15 home runs, 41 RBIs, 63 runs scored, 27 doubles, a .384 on-base percentage, a .451 slugging percentage, and a .835 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage).

Sports Illustrated “How Kim became one of the best players in the major leagues”
After the game, there was a lot of praise for Kim in the United States. “An amazing turnaround for the Korean superstar,” Sports Illustrated wrote in its article, “Analyst Breaks Down How Ha Seong-Kim Has Become One of the MLB’s Best Players,” after the game.

“Even though he didn’t make the All-Star Game, Kim is having his best season in the majors so far,” Sports Illustrated said, explaining that in his first two seasons in San Diego in 2021, Kim had ups and downs and showed weaknesses against pitchers’ offspeed pitches. “Ha-Sung Kim was in the spotlight last weekend in a series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. While Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman are in the National League MVP race, the Dodgers’ superstar hasn’t come close to matching Kim’s WAR this season,” he said.

They also praised his defense. “He’s developed into one of the best defenders in the world since stepping foot in Petco Park, and this season he’s been one of the best offensive players on the team. Even in a lineup filled with superstar teammates like Xander Bogaerts, Juan Soto, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado, Kim has been a standout performer. He’s quickly approaching 30 stolen bases and leads the team with 15 home runs to go along with his high batting average. He’s saving San Diego from a disappointing season,” he said.

He’s not the only one. “If you’ve watched a lot of San Diego games this year, you know that Kim is the MVP of this team,” said Divine Sports Gospel, a San Diego-based podcast. “Tatis Jr., Machado, Soto, and Bogaerts are the bigger stars, but Kim is having a better season than them. His emergence in San Diego, which is having a roller coaster season, has been the best yet. He’s a future perennial All-Star.”카지노사이트
Now on pace to break the all-time record for most stolen bases in a season by an Asian infielder (32) and make history (-6).
Kim Ha-seong, who already holds the record for the most stolen bases by a Korean major leaguer (22 by Choo Shin-soo in 2010), will challenge for a new record. The record for the most stolen bases by an Asian infielder (32 for Colorado in 2007) was held by Japanese infielder Kazuo Matsui. Although it will be difficult to surpass Ichiro Suzuki (56 steals), the record holder for most steals by an Asian, 32 steals is certainly within reach. San Diego will have a day off on the 11th before returning home for a three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks on the 12th. We can’t wait to see what else Kim can do.