Kim Ha-seong (28) led the San Diego Padres’ three-game winning streak with his first walk-off home run in his major league debut.
Kim Ha-seong started as the ninth hitter and second baseman in the 2023 Major League home game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, which took place at Petco Park in San Diego, California, USA on the 4th (hereinafter Korean time). led to a come-from-behind victory.
Kim Ha-seong, who had previously retired with a bum hit in 안전놀이터all three at-bats, came out as a solver in the last at-bat. Arizona right-hander Scott McGuff’s 90.2 mile (145.2 km) slider on the fifth pitch hit the center without missing it and passed the left wall with a line drive.
105.2 miles (169.3 km) exit velocity and 374 feet (114 m) distance. Ha-seong Kim’s first home run of the season and his 20th home run in his career in the major leagues was his first personal home run. As a Korean hitter, he became the fifth major league hitter to end a home run after Hee-seop Choi, Shin-soo Choo (twice), Dae-ho Lee, and Ji-man Choi (twice).
After the game, Kim Ha-seong said in an interview with the local broadcaster ‘Bali Sports’, “I couldn’t hit the third at-bat, but it feels good to hit a home run like this in the last at-bat.” At that moment, fellow players such as Manny Machado, Juan Soto, and Xander Bogatz congratulated Ha-seong Kim by throwing an ice box full of ice from behind.
Kim Ha-seong, who was drenched in water, laughed at his colleagues’ intense celebration, saying, “I do it in Korea too, but (today) it was too strong.”
A question came up about the ending home run at bat. Kim Ha-seong, who did not miss the slider driven in the middle in the 3B-1S advantageous count, said, “I wasn’t aiming for a home run, but I thought I would fight to avoid sending me on a walk. He threw a bat at the timing of the fastball, and it produced good results.”
Lastly, Kim Ha-seong did not forget to respond to the cheers by shouting “Thank you, I love you” to the fans after laughing, saying, “I am so happy and happy” about his impression of the home run.