The path he takes is history. Since he has already broken the record for the most in a single season by a Korean major league player, new history is written every time he steals a base.
San Diego Padres’ ‘Awesome Kim’ Kim Ha-seong (28)’s ‘storm running’ is amazing. Ha-seong Kim started as the number one hitter and third baseman in the 2023 Major League Baseball visiting game against the Houston Astros held at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas, USA on the 8th (Korean time), going 2 hits in 4 at-bats, 1 walk, 2 RBIs, and 2 runs. He showed off his spirit by adding 3 stolen bases.
Now, Ha-seong Kim seems to know exactly what the role of the number one hitter is. Kim Ha-seong, who came out as the leadoff hitter in the top of the 5th inning and got on base with a walk, struck out Fernando Tatis Jr. on a missed swing after a full-count battle, but succeeded in stealing second base, giving the team a scoring chance. Soon after, Juan Soto hit a timely double to right, allowing Ha-Seong Kim, who was on second base, to score, and San Diego succeeded in widening the lead to 6-1.안전놀이터
It was the same in the top of the 7th inning. Kim Ha-seong, who came out as the leadoff hitter and hit a left-field hit, put pressure on the opponent’s battery by stealing second base during Juan Soto’s at-bat. Soto actually filled the empty first base with an intentional walk that was close to four pitches. And the ensuing operation that caught us off guard. It was a double steel. Ha-seong Kim sprinted to third base and Soto sprinted to second base, boasting such lightning speed that the opposing catcher could not even throw the ball. In addition, Manny Machado hit a timely double to center field, so the strategy was worthwhile. San Diego ran away with an 8-2 lead and ended up winning 11-2.
Ha-seong Kim, who succeeded in stealing his 32nd, 33rd, and 34th bases of the season in this game alone, experienced the joy of setting a new record for the most steals in a single season by an Asian infielder. Previously, Japanese infielder Kazuo Matsui had the most stolen bases with 32 during his time with the Colorado Rockies in 2007, but Ha-seong Kim has surpassed this by far.
Ha-seong Kim already holds the record for the most stolen bases in a single season in the Korean Major League. Ha-seong Kim succeeded in stealing his 23rd and 24th bases of the season in a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on the 5th of last month, breaking the record for the most stolen bases in a single season by a Korean major leaguer. The previous record was 22 stolen bases by Choo Shin-soo during his time with the Cleveland Indians (now the Cleveland Guardians) in 2010.
While he has been kicked out, it is worth taking on the challenge of becoming the first Korean to steal 40 bases. Of course, as the regular season is coming to an end, it is a time when he can be most physically exhausted, but considering that Kim Ha-seong recorded 16 steals in 85 games in the first half of the season and 18 steals in 52 games in the second half, it is not an impossible record.
In Asian major league history, the only player to reach 40 stolen bases was Ichiro Suzuki. Even Ichiro, a world-renowned player with a total of 509 stolen bases in the major leagues, only succeeded five times in 19 years of playing in the major leagues, which is such a difficult record. Ichiro created a sensation by recording 56 steals in 2001, when he swept the American League MVP and Rookie of the Year awards, and showed the dignity of a ‘big thief’ by recording 45 steals in 2006, 43 steals in 2008, 42 steals in 2010, and 40 steals in 2011. .
Will Kim Ha-seong be the first Korean and Asian major leaguer to conquer the 40-steal mark after Ichiro? San Diego still has 20 games left.