Ha-seong Kim (28, San Diego Padres) showed in front of Shohei Ohtani (29, LA Angels) why he is considered a strong candidate for the Gold Glove Award for second baseman in the Major League (ML) and National League (NL) this year.

Kim Ha-seong started as the team’s first batter and second baseman in the 2023 Major League home game held at Petco Park in San Diego, California, USA on the 4th (Korean time) and contributed to the team’s 10-3 victory with 1 hit and 3 strikeouts in 5 at-bats. .

In the at-bat, as a leadoff, he opened the line with a left-handed hit in the first inning. Afterwards, Manny Machado’s heavy hit and Xander Bogarts’ left-handed three-run led to success in suppressing the baseline.

However, what stood out a little more on this day was the Gold Glove level defense. San Diego induced 10 ground balls, including 3 double strikes, from the Los Angeles Angels, and Kim Ha-seong was directly involved in 5 hits, half of which were hit.

Among them, the highlight was Taylor Ward’s at-bat with second out and first base in the top of the 7th inning. In the preceding situation, the Los Angeles Angels were behind 1-6, but against pitcher Tim Hill, who had changed, Luis Langhipo had a superior solo shot and Mike Moustakas hit a heavy hit to raise the mood. San Diego tried to put out the fire by putting Nick Martinez up, and Ward was the first batter he faced with 2nd out and 1st base.

Ward hit the curve in the middle of the 4th pitch with a favorable ball count of 2B1S and sent a hit ball over the second base at 87.2 miles per hour. However, Kim Ha-seong moved from the left side of second base to the center, caught it with his backhand, threw it to first base, and instantly turned it into an ordinary ground ball. It is no wonder that the Petco Park crowd went crazy over this defense. Even on social media, the reaction was hot, such as “If Ha-seong Kim does not win the Gold Glove this year, it will be a mess” and “Ha-seong Kim did Ha-sung Kim”.

Ohtani, who was preparing to hit after Mike Trout in the waiting at-bat, also watched. And in the bottom of the 7th inning, he became a direct victim. Ohtani hit Martinez’s 4th pitch changeup, which fell low outside, to create a ground ball, but Kim Ha-seong lightly caught it and threw it to first base, throwing it out. Ohtani, who was out at second base due to Rendon’s double play in the first at-bat, failed to record a hit, and finished his first game at Petco Park in two years with no hits, two walks, and one strikeout in three at-bats.

Ha-seong Kim also failed to record an additional hit with three strikeouts in the subsequent at-bat, but contributed to the team’s victory with defense from the beginning to the end of the game. In the top of the first inning, third baseman Machado and first baseman Jake Cronenworth doubled Anthony Rendon’s batted ball, and in the last inning, in the top of the ninth inning, pitchers Josh Hader and Cronenworth doubled Eduardo Escobar’s batted ball. .

At the same time, DRS (Defensive Run Save, a defensive index that indicates how many runs are prevented), which affects the Gold Glove Award and the Fielding Bible Award, is expected to rise again. According to the official website of the Fielding Bible Award, Kim Ha-sung’s DRS until the game on the 3rd is +17, which is the top overall in the major leagues. Tatis Jr. (San Diego) with +15 ranked second overall, and Wander Franco (Tampa Bay) ranked second as an infielder with +13.온라인바카라

Ha-sung Kim’s Gold Glove-level defense is having a positive effect on other indicators as well. In the WAR (contribution to victory against substitute players) compiled by Baseball Reference, a US statistical media, Kim Ha-seong was 4.0 bWAR until the end of the game on the 3rd, and was tied for 4th place in the major leagues this year with Louis Robert Jr. (Chicago White Sox). The ranking includes both pitchers and hitters.

1st place is Ohtani with 6.7 bWAR, who is running the MVP season with good results in both pitching and hitting, but Kim Ha-seong won the decision on this day.