Professional baseball player Luis Liberato (30) of the Hanwha Eagles is leaving a strong impression as he continues to perform well right after his KBO League debut.
On the 5th, Liberato started as the second center fielder in the game against the Kiwoom Heroes in the '2025 Shinhan Bank SOL Bank KBO League' held at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, recording 1 hit and 1 RBI in 5 at-bats, along with 1 run scored. He hit a decisive 1 RBI double in the top of the 9th inning, leading Hanwha to a 6-4 victory. With this win, Hanwha has achieved two consecutive victories.
Liberato, who joined Hanwha as a replacement foreign player for Estevan Florial due to injury, has a batting average of .413 (19 hits in 46 at-bats), with 1 home run, 7 RBIs, and 6 runs scored over 11 games, achieving an OPS of 1.036. Despite the pressure of proving his abilities in a short period of six weeks, he is quickly adapting to the KBO League and leading Hanwha's rise.
Team captain Chae Eun-seong noted in an interview after the game on the 5th, "In fact, it's really not easy for a foreign player to do this well right away. They usually need some time to adapt, but he's performing remarkably well right after arriving. He's also a very passionate player, and I’m really grateful for how well he has been doing." He continued, "Putting aside the passion, playing baseball well is the most important thing. Because he is doing so well, it’s even better," he said with a smile.
Liberato reflected on the moment of his decisive 1 RBI double, saying, "I went to the plate thinking to keep it as simple as possible. The pitcher requested a brief timeout, which gave me a little extra time to focus. The ball seemed to go slightly into the glove, but I couldn't see it exactly. Since I didn’t get a hit in my previous at-bat, I was just hoping to get a hit and ran hard."
Before hitting the decisive hit, Liberato had recorded no hits in 9 at-bats. He stated, "I feel really good. The pitchers threw some good pitches. My physical condition is okay, so I think I can continue to show good results going forward."
Discussing his decision to come to Korea, Liberato, who said he chose Hanwha because it is the top team, remarked, "I like teams that win a lot. Since Hanwha is a top team, I think, 'I need to work harder. I need to show a better performance,' and I am going to every game with that mindset."
Liberato, who is being utilized as both the second and third batter for Hanwha, said, "I believe in myself. I have practiced a lot, so I believe good results will come, and I will perform well no matter where I am in the lineup."
[OSEN]