The sluggers' bats are on fire again!
The competition for the KBO League home run king in the 2023 season, which seemed likely to end with the dominance of Hanwha Eagles Noh Si-hwan (23), is heating up again. SSG Landers veteran Choi Jeong (36)'s last-minute drive narrowed the gap to just two.
As of the 12th, Noh Si-hwan has a batting average of 0.299, 31 home runs, 99 RBI, and 84 runs in 128 games this season. He boasted an unrivaled pace by hitting 19 home runs in the first half alone, and in the game against the LG Twins in Jamsil on the 2nd of last month, he became the first player to hit 30 home runs this season and looked likely to become the home run king.
However, Noh Si-hwan's home run graph slowed down drastically starting from 30 home runs. His 31st home run of the season did not come until the Daejeon Kiwoom Heroes game on the 22nd of last month, and there were only two home runs he hit in September. Compared to the eight arches he painted in August alone, the difference is clearly significant.
In addition, Noh Si-hwan had to sit out for a while as he joined the national baseball team participating in the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games. Unlike in the past, this year's KBO League was held without interruption even during the Asian Games. For Noh Si-hwan, the opportunity to add a home run was missed. Fortunately, he returned home with a gold medal, but as soon as he returned to Korea, he returned from the game against the Changwon NC Dinos on the 9th and played in two games until the next day, but was unable to add another home run.
While Noh Si-hwan faltered at 31 home runs, Choi Jeong horribly increased his home run pace. As of the 12th, Choi Jeong-eun has a batting average of 0.297, 29 home runs, 87 RBI, and 94 runs in 128 games this season. He ranks second in home runs after Noh Si-hwan.
Choi Jeong-eun was stuck at 24 home runs when Noh Si-hwan hit 30 home runs. However, while Noh Si-hwan added one home run, he hit as many as five home runs, giving them a close chase. He hit 3 home runs in 4 games in October. In particular, in the match against Hanwha in Incheon on the 6th, he showed off his unique driving ability again with a series of hitting arches. He appears to be reviving the power and history of winning the home run title three times (2016, 2017, and 2021).
In the end, the rivalry between the two heavy hitters is expected to end only after the 144th game of this season. Noh Si-hwan of 'Museong' can play in up to 3 games, and Choi Jeong-eun, who is aiming for a 'turnaround', can play in 4 games. Judging by the current gap and pace, it is a competition whose outcome no one can easily predict.