Praise for 'Son of the Wind' Lee Jung-hoo (27, San Francisco Giants) is pouring in. His second year is off to a hot start, recognized even in Major League Baseball for his potential as a 'batting champion.'

Lee Jung-hoo performed well, recording 3 hits in 4 at-bats, including 2 doubles, and scoring 2 runs, leading San Francisco to a 4-1 victory in the home game against the Seattle Mariners in the 2025 Major League Baseball season held at Oracle Park in San Francisco, California, on June 6 (Korea time). San Francisco is off to a strong start, winning 7 of the first 8 games, currently on a 6-game winning streak.

After recording his second career game with 3 hits in Major League Baseball on May 8 against the Colorado Rockies, Lee Jung-hoo continues his hitting streak with hits in 6 consecutive games. His overall season statistics show a batting average of .321 over 7 games (28 at-bats, 9 hits), with no home runs, 3 RBIs, 9 runs scored, 3 walks, 5 strikeouts, and a .387 on-base percentage, .500 slugging percentage, and .887 OPS.

In that game, Lee Jung-hoo showed a strong presence both in offense and defense. He was out in his first at-bat in the 1st inning with a flyout to right field, but hit a right-field double in the 4th inning and disrupted the opposing battery with a surprise steal to third base. After scoring the first run from Matt Chapman's double, Lee also scored again in the 6th inning with a one-bounce double to the right-center fence, following which he came home on Chapman's double.

In the 7th inning, Lee Jung-hoo also hit a single to left field and showed impressive defense in center field. In the 2nd inning, with no outs and a runner on first, he made a significant catch, colliding with the fence to snag a large ball that had flown toward center field. He calmly handled a hit that came flying over his head at 99.9 mph (160.8 km/h).

With the team's 6-game winning streak, praise for Lee Jung-hoo has not ceased. According to the Mercury News, Chapman noted, "Personally, I have never doubted Lee Jung-hoo. I know how hard it is to come back and play after not being in the game for a year. It's impressive to see him show consistency so quickly. Watching his swing and how he practices in the batting cage, he has a swing capable of facing Major League pitchers."

Chapman added, "This is evidence of how well Lee Jung-hoo is prepared and what a tremendous player he is. His ability to make contact with the ball is truly remarkable. A player with that kind of ability can adapt very quickly."

Bob Melvin, the manager of the San Francisco Giants, also praised, "When you watch Lee Jung-hoo today, he seems like a player who has never missed a beat. His timing has improved significantly while playing. He pulls the ball and hits it to center, sending it to left-center as well. He always maintains his balance. There is a reason we acquired him, and a reason he's batting third in the lineup."

The winning pitcher, left-handed Robbie Ray, a former Cy Young award winner, said about Lee Jung-hoo's defense, "It's really reassuring to have Lee Jung-hoo in the outfield. He handles every ball hit his way. He only knows how to run hard. He possesses truly special talent, and we are excited about him."

The media also joined the praise. Mercury News emphasized, "As noted by Chapman, Lee Jung-hoo's ability to make contact with the ball is already at an elite level. His contact rate is 90.0%, standing shoulder to shoulder with players like Luis Arraez (San Diego Padres, 93.1%) and Steven Kwan (Cleveland Guardians, 91.5%). While his contact rate is slightly lower compared to the two, his average exit velocity is nearly 3 miles (4.8 km/h) faster."

Another local media outlet, 'NBC Sports Bay Area,' also noted, "Lee Jung-hoo's aggressive playing style has made him a popular player in Korea. After suffering a significant injury, he could have hesitated, but Lee Jung-hoo stated that he would not change the way he plays this spring. Through the last two games, it has become clear that he is speaking the truth," highlighting Lee Jung-hoo's boldness in aggressively defending in front of Oracle Park's fence after the injury.

They added, "San Francisco has always seen Lee Jung-hoo's potential as a batting champion, but this year they want to see other tools as well. He has already surpassed last year's record with 3 steals, succeeding twice out of five attempts. He has shown good performance in batting, base running, and centerfield defense, which is what San Francisco hoped for when they intended to sign Lee Jung-hoo to a long-term contract."

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