'Awesome Kim' Ha-seong (Tampa Bay Rays) thrilled the local broadcast team by hitting over the Green Monster at the notorious Fenway Park.
On the 11th (Korea time), Ha-seong Kim made his start at shortstop in an away game against the Boston Red Sox in the 2025 Major League at Fenway Park in Boston, Pennsylvania, hitting his first home run since joining Tampa Bay.
With his team trailing 0-1, Ha-seong Kim came to the plate in the top of the 4th with one out and a runner on first, hitting a two-run homer against Boston's starting right-hander Walker Buehler. After taking a favorable count of 2B-1S, he fouled off the fourth pitch, then laid off the fifth, and crushed an 88.9-mile (143 km) slider on the sixth pitch, launching a massive home run that sailed past the left side Green Monster. It was his first home run after four games with Tampa Bay.
Ha-seong Kim experienced a thrilling moment after 328 days since his last home run on August 17 of the previous year, during an away game against the Colorado Rockies while he was with the San Diego Padres.
The local broadcast team in the U.S. exclaimed, 'Kim Ha-seong's hit is flying toward the Monster. And he cleared the Monster. Kim Ha-seong has hit his debut home run for Tampa Bay,' praising him, 'The patience he demonstrated against Buehler has paid off tremendously.'
Despite this, Kim Ha-seong encountered an unexpected injury while sailing through his pre-free agency season in San Diego last year. On August 19, during an away game against the Colorado Rockies, he sustained a serious injury to his right shoulder while sliding headfirst into first base, leading to surgery to repair a torn shoulder labrum by Dr. Neil ElAttrache, a sports surgery specialist, in September.
Nevertheless, after the season, Kim Ha-seong exercised his first free agency rights in the big leagues, signing a contract worth a total of $29 million over two years with the small-market Tampa Bay, who belongs to the American League East on January 30.
With this contract, Kim Ha-seong quickly became the highest-paid player in Tampa Bay. The team made their second largest investment in a position player in 26 years, following a four-year, $34 million deal given to outfielder Greg Vaughn in December 1999. This marks the fifth largest contract in Tampa Bay's free agency history.
In the first year of his contract, Kim Ha-seong will receive $13 million, with a $16 million option for next year. Including the opt-out clause, it has paved the way for him to return to the free agency market after the 2025 season. Additional incentive clauses were also included.
After a lengthy rehabilitation, Kim Ha-seong finally made his Tampa Bay debut against the Minnesota Twins on the 5th, recording 1 hit in 3 at-bats and 1 stolen base. However, he missed three days after suffering a calf cramp while attempting to steal third base in the seventh inning.
Kim Ha-seong returned on the 9th against the Detroit Tigers, going 1-for-4, and on the 10th he went 2-for-4 with 1 RBI, warming up his bat before hitting the home run on this day.
Meanwhile, despite Kim Ha-seong's go-ahead homer, Tampa Bay fell to Boston 3-4, failing to extend their winning streak.
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