Kim Ha-seong’s extraordinary performance has earned him a baptism of fire, and he’s on pace to go 20-20 and surpass the 20-homer, 40-double mark.

On the previous day (April 22), Kim went 2-for-4 with two doubles, a home run, and four RBIs while batting first and second in a home game against the Miami Marlins at Petco Park in San Diego, California, USA.

After the game, Kim took to the dugout and said, “I feel so good. I’m glad that my home run was able to bring the win,” he said. “I think it will be remembered as a good home run in my career. I will keep this momentum going and do well in tomorrow’s game.”

Kim’s celebration was characteristically exciting. His arm-waving celebration has become a favorite in Korea and the United States. However, he didn’t do it after his last home run. When asked about it by the local media, he said, “I felt good, but this time I played calmly and without thinking.”

In conclusion, he said, “Doing my best to win the game played a good role,” and vowed to continue his good form with a steady routine.

The San Diego fans, who watched the interview on the field, showed their enthusiastic support for Kim, especially by chanting “Ha Sung Kim!” throughout the year.

The ‘crazy’ leadoff hitter who stole two bases and stole third.

Kim’s appearance was enough to bring the San Diego home fans to their feet. In the top of the first inning, Kim batted leadoff and got off to a calm start by picking off a low pitch from the Miami Weathers.

Working a 2-ball-1 strike count, Kim drove a 96.5 mph (155.3 km/h) four-seam fastball right down the middle of the plate for a hit that landed just inside the right-field line.

Kim sprinted around the bases and reached second base, his 18th double of the season. During his base-running, Kim took off his helmet to show his enthusiasm, reminiscent of the “Kim Ha-Sung figurines” that the team distributed to fans. He then stole a base on a wild pitch.

Later, with runners on first and second after a Fernando Tatis Jr. walk, Manny Machado stole third on a wild pitch from Weathers. Miami catcher Nick Forte timed his throw so well that he didn’t have to make the throw to third. It was Kim’s 28th stolen base of the season. He then put himself in scoring position and came home with time to spare on Machado’s sacrifice fly to left field to give San Diego the lead.

The pitch count was against him…but he still hit a walk-off home run.

In his second at-bat, Ha Sung Kim hit a bases-loaded home run. He came to the plate in the second inning with San Diego up 1-0 and the bases loaded after a Luis Camposano-Karett Cooper-Trent Grisham walk. A tense first pitch. Kim watched as Weathers’ pitch formed high in the strike zone. The MLB.com GameCenter graphic showed it as a high ball, not a strike, but the umpire called it a strike. The next pitch, a low changeup, was also called a strike as Kim watched. The ball count was 0 balls and 2 strikes. He could have easily blown his chance for the winning run.

But Kim had a strong heart. He scooped up a 96.6-mph (155.4-kilometer) fastball from Weathers and launched it over the left-field fence for a grand slam. It hit 95 mph (152.8 km/h), traveled 359 feet (109.4 meters), and had a 29-degree launch angle.

It was Ha-Sung Kim’s first career grand slam and 17th home run of the season, putting him just three shy of the 20-homer plateau. The multi-hit game also gave him 300 career hits in the major leagues. He is only the third Korean major leaguer in history to do so, joining Choo Shin-soo and Choi Ji-Man.

FOX Sports posted a video of Kim’s home run shortly afterward and praised the “long-hitting No. 1 hitter, who is heating up San Diego.” MLB.com also noted that “Kim hit his first career grand slam.”

San Diego’s first legendary hitter with a home run, double, and stolen base

Kim also made San Diego franchise history. On the same day, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune, a local media outlet in San Diego, Kim became the first player to hit a home run, a double, and a stolen base in the same game. The media called him a “legend” for this achievement. “He became the first player in San Diego’s 55-year history to hit a home run, a double, and a stolen base in the same game,” it said. It’s a testament to the fact that Kim has a long bat, medium to long range, and quick feet.

“He’s on his way to becoming a San Diego legend,” Jeff Sanders, a reporter for the publication, wrote on social media.

The San Diego team also shared in the celebration. “The S in Kim’s initials, HSK, stands for slam (grand slam),” the team wrote in an image with the Korean phrase “Kim’s first grand slam of his MLB career.” In another social media post, San Diego called Kim “our Korean king.”

San Diego manager Bob Melvin said, “Every player has times when they sink, whether it’s their hitting or their mood. But that’s not the case with Ha-Sung Kim. He’s always a big part of our team,” Melvin said, adding, “I don’t doubt that he gets 20-20. He never ignores or avoids a single ball. There’s a lot of energy coming out of him.”

Kim Ha-sung goes beyond 20-20 to 20-40

On the 22nd, through the previous day’s game, Kim’s season stats were .280 (414-for-116) with 19 doubles, 17 home runs, 49 RBI, 71 runs scored, 58 walks, 95 strikeouts, 28 stolen bases, a .370 on-base percentage, a .449 slugging percentage, and a .819 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage).

He’s already in the 20-20 club in stolen bases and only three home runs away from joining it. The first Korean to hold the record was SSG Landers Choo Shin-soo. He did it three times: in 2009 with Cleveland (20 home runs and 21 stolen bases), in 2010 (22 home runs and 22 stolen bases), and in 2013 with Cincinnati (21 home runs and 20 stolen bases). If Kim goes 20-20, it will be a first. He would be the first Asian infielder to reach 20-20.

San Diego has 36 games left in the season. That’s plenty of time for Kim to reach 20 home runs. Add to that 28 doubles, and it’s only a matter of time before he becomes the first Korean to reach 30. At this rate, it’s also mathematically possible for him to reach 40 steals. It will be interesting to see if he can go beyond 20-20 to 20-40.

Awesome Kim breaks 6.0 in bWAR for the first time! Awesome Kim becomes the best hitter in baseball

Kim Ha-seong is now the best infielder in the major leagues.

According to Baseball Reference’s bWAR, a statistical site specializing in Major League Baseball, Kim’s bWAR has risen from 5.8 to 6.0. That puts him in sole possession of fourth place, behind Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels (9.4), Mookie Betts of the Los Angeles Dodgers (6.5), and Ronald Yakuza Jr. of the Atlanta Braves (6.2). He is also just 0.5 behind the fifth-place Texas Rangers’ Marcus Semien (5.5).

This is the first time this season that Kim has eclipsed 6.0 in bWAR. He posted 2.1 in his 2021 debut and 5.0 last season. 바카라

He’s also gotten stronger in extra-base situations. In his rookie season, Kim batted .333 (6-for-6) with an OPS of 1.042, and in 2022, he batted .250 (12-for-3) with 11 RBI and an OPS of 1.817. So far this season, he’s batted .455 (11-for-5) with one home run, 11 RBI, and an OPS of 1.182 in high-pressure situations.

Prior to his rookie season, there were questions about whether Kim would be successful. This season, however, he has proven himself to be an all-around player who can hit, play defense, and get on base.