Kia Tigers' Kim Do-young (22) changed the dynamics of the game significantly when he started playing.
Kim Do-young contributed to the team's 7-6 victory against the Lotte Giants in the 2025 Korea Professional Baseball game held at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field on the 15th, with 2 hits in 4 at-bats, including a home run, 2 RBIs, and 2 runs scored. The team secured a pleasant winning series against the higher-ranked Lotte. With a record of 19 wins and 22 losses, they maintained 7th place, 1 game behind the 4th place Samsung Lions.
On that day, Kim Do-young's focal point was his speed. Batting as the 3rd hitter and 3rd baseman, he retired on a fly ball to left field in his first at-bat in the 1st inning. He targeted Lotte's starting pitcher Na Gyeon-an's forkball, but it was too high. In the 3rd inning, he got an infield hit with a ball that went off toward the shortstop as the 1-1 tie was achieved, utilizing his speed. He laid the groundwork for a 5-run big inning.
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In the 4th inning, where they were ahead by 1, Kim Do-young used his speed to score a valuable additional run. With 1 out and runners on 1st and 3rd, he hit a ground ball to the shortstop. It looked like a double play for anyone watching. In fact, a flawless double play attempt was made. Kim Do-young sprinted and received a safe call at 1st base. The video review also revealed that he stepped on first just in time. 3rd base runner Park Chan-ho stepped home to extend the lead to 6-1.
This was a result of a scoring formula generated by Kim Do-young's incredible speed. If it were not for his quick feet, the flow of the 3rd inning would have been interrupted without leading to a big inning. The 4th inning would not have allowed for any scoring due to the double play. These were two scenes that demonstrated Kim Do-young's remarkable speed. He began to recreate the moments from last year when he changed the flow of the game with his speed.
He sustained a hamstring injury in the opening game and was out for about a month. Even upon his return, he restrained his sprinting. He did not explode out of the box after hitting. There were no stolen bases. The stolen base ban has not yet been lifted; it was a precaution against a recurrence of his injury. With the shackles on Kim Do-young's speed, infield hits also did not happen. The team’s offense continued to be frustrating.
That day was noticeably different. Choi Won-jun, who returned from the first team, also contributed to the active baserunning, including a stolen base at 3rd. Once Kim Do-young started running, the game's dynamics became lively. Additionally, perhaps as a commemoration of his speed recovery, he led off the 7th inning with a solo home run (his 3rd) to left field. This also triggered a long hit. Considering the 7-6 victory, it was a precious hit.
Now, whether to lift the stolen base ban is also a point of interest. Kim Do-young said, "I think I can run 100% now. I asked the manager to lift the stolen base ban." Manager Lee Beom-ho noted, "Being in the batting lineup is more beneficial to the team than 1 or 2 stolen bases," and expressed his intention to maintain the ban. Attention is on whether Manager Lee will change his mind with Kim Do-young's extraordinary speed.
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