“Shining on both sides of the offense and defense” Bae Ji-hwan of the Pittsburgh Pirates was the second baseman and the 8th hitter in the 2023 MLB home match against the LA Dodgers held at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA on the 27th (hereinafter Korean time) . As a starter, he showed great performance with 3 hits in 4 at-bats, 2 runs scored, 1 RBI and 3 stolen bases.

Bae Ji-hwan has been suffering from sluggishness lately. This is why he has not produced a single hit in 4 consecutive matches against the Cincinnati Reds since the 20th. In the aftermath, his batting average for the season dropped to 0.206, which is close to 10% rather than the mid-20%. But he was stronger against a strong team.

Bae Ji-hwan played an active role with 2 hits in 4 at-bats, 2 runs and 2 steals against the Los Angeles Dodgers on the 26th, and had a multi-hit game 18 days after the Chicago White Sox match on the 8th. In particular, what impressed me the most was his quick feet. Bae Ji-hwan’s main power was still the same, although he did not shine due to his poor hitting sense. Bae Ji-hwan dominated the ground, scoring an infield hit with great speed and successfully stealing two bases. The only flaw is that it didn’t lead to a team victory.

However, the game on the 27th was different. The key to the team’s victory was Bae Ji-hwan. He took the lead in the second inning and got a hit, continuing a good streak for two consecutive games, and at the same time stealing second base, giving the team a chance. And Brian Reynolds’ timely hit succeeded in stepping home, resulting in the team’s final score.

The uptrend continued. Bae Ji-hwan completed the multi-hit game with another hit in the next at-bat. And after stepping on second base with an infield hit by Jason DeLay, he stole third base this time. Although it was not linked to scoring, there was no sluggishness in the main force.

The performance of his last at-bat was also impressive. Bae Ji-hwan got his second three-hit game since his major league debut, with an infield hit on a scoring opportunity in the seventh inning to lead 5–0. He had already performed well enough and the score gap increased, but Bae Ji-hwan did not stop and this time he marked the third steal through a double steal. Thanks to Bae Ji-hwan’s performance, Pittsburgh succeeded in beating the Dodgers 8-1 on the 27th.

After stepping on the big league stage, he played a number of impressive games such as hitting a home run, but this day was also close to the ‘game of life’ for Bae Ji-hwan. In particular, Bae Ji-hwan accumulated 5 stolen bases in two days, putting his name on a tie for second place in the major league as well as the National League. According to the American ‘CBS’, Bae Ji-hwan left his name as the player who recorded 5 stolen bases in 2 games after Starling Marte.

Ronald Acuna Jr. (Atlanta Braves) is the number one player in the National League and the overall leader in the major leagues with 13. There is still a gap, but considering that he added a whopping 5 in 2 games, it is not a figure that cannot be narrowed down. Bae Ji-hwan would steal 66.4 bases if he played the game with the current flow. It’s a story in the distant future, but the first Korean major league fielder can also aim for a title holder. 크크크벳

Bae Ji-hwan’s performance is receiving praise from the local media. The ‘Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’ praised, saying, “Brian Reynolds, Andrew McCutchen, Jack Swinsky, and Connor Joe are the four most productive hitters in Pittsburgh. And I can’t help but mention Bae Ji-hwan. He shines on both sides of the offense and defense.” .

‘NBC Sports’ said, “Bae Ji-hwan’s speed continues to cause a lot of problems for the opposing team. And this is what enabled Bae Ji-hwan to play as a starter this season.” He has 10 stolen bases in 23 games.”