I’m keeping my original intentions.
Son Ho-young of the Lotte Giants started as the third batter and third baseman in an away game against KT Wiz in the 2024 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League held at KT Wiz Park in Suwon on Sunday. He made four hits, one RBI and three runs from five times at bat. He contributed to his team’s 9-7 win, two consecutive wins, and the Winning Series. Lotte moved up from ninth to eighth.
In the top of the first inning, Son Ho-young hit a timely hit with one out and runners on the third base. He scored the first run of 1-0, and this shot became the finishing hit. In the top of the fourth inning, he became the leadoff hitter and got on base with a hit to the midfielder. He then scored on Na Seung-yeop’s sacrifice fly to the center field. The score is 7-0.
He also started as a leadoff hitter in the top of the sixth inning, and produced a huge double that passed the height of the center field to directly hit the fence. Later, he homered on Na Seung-yeop’s timely hit to center field. He made it 9-2. Son Ho-young met the batter’s box as a leadoff hitter in the top of the eighth inning as well. He hit left-handed ones. All the runners disappeared due to Victor Reyes’ double play. Thus, he finished his last at-bat.
Son Ho-young, who debuted as a pro in the LG Twins uniform in 2020, built a new nest in Lotte through trade at the end of March this year. He has been reborn as a starting player in name and reality. He is playing full time for the first time since his debut. However, he was away twice due to a hamstring injury.
He demonstrated his performance to the core. He displayed a batting average of 0.324 (57 hits in 176 times at bat) and eight homers and 37 RBIs in 48 games in the first half of the year. He is also hot in the second half of the year. He boasted a batting average of 0.356 (21 hits in 59 times at bat) and three homers and 12 RBIs in 15 games. After recovering from the injury, Son returned to the mound on July 20 and had a batting average of 0.233 (seven hits in 30 times at bat) and one homerun and four RBIs in eight games in July. However, he revived as a batting average of 0.483 (14 hits in 29 times at bat) and two homers and eight RBIs in seven games in August.
Son Ho-young’s season performance was 0.332 (78 hits in 235 at-bats) in 63 games, 11 homers, 49 RBIs and 43 runs, a slugging percentage of 0.562 and a batting average of 0.361 (26 hits in 72 at-bats).
“I think I was lucky today (11th),” Son said after the victory. “Actually, I didn’t have a good feeling. Rather, I wasn’t good when batting, but I was literally lucky. I didn’t make any adjustments,” Son said after the victory. “I think I should always play the same game. If I try to change something, I can’t do it anymore. I felt different in practice and in actual games, so I kept thinking that I was good.”
In particular, there were many innings as leadoff batter. Son Ho-young said, “That’s right. Strangely, I keep playing like the No. 1 hitter,” adding, “I try not to be greedy these days. That’s why I’m doing well.”
Son was jokingly criticized by his former LG players. “I keep in touch with my colleagues and colleagues often. Everyone asks me, ‘Why are you so good these days?'” Son Ho-young said with a smile. “No one compliments me a lot. It’s like, ‘Why are you so good?’ I always answer, ‘It’s time to do a good job.’ 안전놀이터
Lotte manager Kim Tae-hyung tries not to overdo Son Ho-young on the base to prevent his hamstring injury from recurring. “I think I would be nervous even if I were (from the coach’s point of view). It is natural because I was sick twice. Still, I try to play as hard as I can,” Son said. “Coaches in the training part always manage me. I take care of Son before the game or after the game.”
“I’m fine now. It’s not because I’m sick but because I go to the treatment room often to manage my health. I think it’s because it’s my first time playing in so many games like this,” he said. “My condition before and after my injury is similar. It’s not even better. I try to lower my bat more aggressively.”
The team is still in the bottom half, but the mood of the team is bright. Lotte is 3.5 games apart from the fifth-ranked SSG Landers. The gap is not that big. “Old players always say this. Let’s play until the end. They don’t know until the end of baseball,” Son Ho-young said. “We try to win every game. They lead us well. Even if the score difference is big, they don’t let go. That’s why I like it.”
Son Ho-young said, “I will always play as hard as I do now. I want to play in the rest of the games. I can only play if I do well. If I can’t, I can’t play,” adding, “I want to play well in every game, tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. I haven’t forgotten that feeling yet. I will do my best just as I did.”
Son Ho-young said, “Of course. That’s so obvious.” When asked if he should also play in the fall baseball, Son Ho-young smiled.