KIA Tigers prodigy hitter Kim Do-young (22) has begun to produce home runs.

He returned after a hamstring injury sidelined him for 36 days from the opening game. On April 26, in his first starting game back against LG in Gwangju, he hit a solo home run. However, after that, home runs were quiet. There were hardly any fly balls. He expressed that he felt anxious. Last year, he recorded the first-ever 10 home runs and 10 stolen bases in April in the KBO League, but this April, he has only achieved 1 home run and no stolen bases.

On May 11, 15 days later, his second home run came against SSG in Incheon. He hit a 125-meter solo home run to left-center in the fourth inning against veteran ace Kim Kwang-hyun. Four days later, on the 15th, he targeted Kim Kang-hyun in the seventh inning of the game against Lotte in Gwangju and hit a 120-meter solo home run to left field. A week later, on the 22nd, he hit a solo home run over the left-center fence against Cuévas in the game against KT in Suwon, officially kicking off his performance.

In the game against Samsung on the 23rd, moved to Daegu, he hit a decisive two-run homer in the eighth inning against Kim Jae-yoon, leading to victory. The next day, he hit a solo home run to left field against Kim Tae-hoon, taking a 4-3 lead. However, the bullpen collapsed, so it did not become the game-winning hit. Then, on the 25th, he targeted Samsung's ace Won Tae-in in the first inning, hitting a solo shot to right field.

Hitting home runs in four consecutive games is a personal best. The opponent has not given good pitches, making it difficult to hit home runs. As he became anxious, his bat also started to follow suit. However, he completely recovered his batting pace by recalling last year's home run videos. Now, he can target any pitcher, left or right, fastballs or changeups. He has begun to hit the bottom of the ball accurately, and the launch angle has definitely increased.

As he officially activated his power hitting, the number of home runs has also garnered attention. Last year's 38 home runs seem unlikely to achieve, but you never know. From the opening last year to May 26, there were 11 home runs. This year, despite being out for 33 days, he already has 7 home runs. With recently unusual hitting, he has entered power mode. A barrage of home runs could be possible. It seems he will set 30 home runs as an initial goal.

He has definitely returned to the terrifying Donisal, who dominated the KBO League last year. Manager Lee Beom-ho noted the complete treatment of the hamstring and recovery of swing speed. "I hit everything, whether it's a fastball or a changeup. I can push and pull. My physical condition is entirely fine now. With the increase in swing speed, I feel relaxed at the plate," he welcomed the batting explosion.

Moreover, he has also recovered another weapon: his running game. On the 24th in Daegu, he successfully stole two bases effortlessly. To prevent a recurrence of his hamstring injury after returning from injury, manager Lee Beom-ho has not given the green light for stolen bases. Kim Do-young pleaded, "I can run 100%. Please let me steal bases," but there was no change. Now he has been allowed to run under the condition that it is crucial for the team.

This alone provides great strength to the team. He possesses the fastest speed among the KBO League players and has a high stolen base success rate. The team struggled with speed baseball when Kim Do-young was not playing, but now it has become possible. Manager Lee commented, "It seems my body has improved now. It’s important during the summer. I need to manage my body well. I haven't yet granted the green light. I will only run in the most critical situations while managing my stamina."

However, the disappointing point is that Kim Do-young has only Hyung-woo Choi hitting well alongside him. With Kim Sun-bin sidelined due to a calf injury, the lower lineup is still not coming alive. If Kim Do-young and Hyung-woo Choi are silent, the probability of scoring drops significantly. With runners on base in front of Kim Do-young and Hyung-woo Choi, the game can progress. Kim Do-young's home run explosion is certainly a positive factor, but injured and underperforming hitters need to perform their roles for the team to aim for the top ranks.

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