It was a day possessed by ghosts for Lee Jung-hoo (27, San Francisco Giants). He committed two non-recorded errors in the field. Both plays were mistakes arising from a lack of communication.
On the 22nd (Korea time), Lee Jung-hoo started as the leadoff center fielder in the away game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia, in Major League Baseball (2025), recording 1 hit in 5 at-bats and maintaining a batting average of .249 (90 hits in 362 at-bats).
The game was more noteworthy for the two defensive plays than the batting. In the 4th inning, with two outs and runners on first and second, Atlanta's Drake Baldwin hit a ball into right-center field. Second baseman Casey Schmidt dove for it, but the ball went past him. The center fielder Lee Jung-hoo, who fielded the slowly rolling ball, threw it to shortstop Willy Adames on a one-bounce throw, while the runner on first, Ronald Acuña Jr., rushed home after passing second and third base.
Although Adames threw to home, Acuña's head-first slide touched home plate first. Both runners from first and second scored on the single, extending Atlanta's lead to 7-2. Acuña's daring judgment and sense stood out, but San Francisco's defense was also too complacent.
In the 6th inning, with two outs and a runner on second, Baldwin hit a high fly ball to left-center field. Although it was a routine pop-up, for some reason, Lee Jung-hoo and left fielder Heliot Ramos hesitated and let the ball drop. Lee Jung-hoo attempted to catch it too late, and the ball fell sharply in front of him, allowing the runner on second, Acuña, to score, making it 9-3 for Atlanta.
The record showed Baldwin's two-run double, but it was Lee Jung-hoo's error-prone play. In the case of fly balls to left-center and right-center, the center fielder has the priority. He should have either caught it directly or signaled for Ramos to take it. However, possessed by ghosts, Lee Jung-hoo did nothing, and San Francisco allowed another meaningless run.
Ultimately, San Francisco lost 5-9, plunging into a six-game losing streak. With a record of 52 wins and 49 losses (.515 winning percentage), San Francisco fell to third place in the National League (NL) West, widening the gap with the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers to seven games. They are also in fifth place for the NL wild card, trailing the third-place San Diego Padres by 3.5 games, making it hard to qualify for postseason play if they fail to turn the tide quickly.
In this situation, San Francisco lost again. Starting pitcher Hayden Birdsong failed to record an out, allowing 1 hit, 4 walks, and 5 runs on 25 pitches, with only 6 strikes thrown. The defense deteriorated rapidly. Besides Lee Jung-hoo's non-recorded error-prone play, there were also two throwing errors by pitcher Matt Gage and left fielder Ramos.
San Francisco local media Mercury noted, "It wasn't just Birdsong's poor pitching that was the issue. San Francisco's defense also did not have its best night. Pitcher Gage and left fielder Ramos each committed throwing errors, and Lee Jung-hoo's two mistakes also resulted in runs. In the 4th inning, while Lee Jung-hoo loosely threw the ball infield, Acuña sprinted from first base to home to score. In the 6th, he failed to properly handle a routine fly ball to left-center, allowing the ball to drop and causing another run to score."
"MLB.com" also stated, "San Francisco's defense failed to support the pitchers. They committed two errors, and a scene that well depicted the current team situation occurred in the 4th inning. Baldwin hit a weak ground ball towards the center fielder, and Lee Jung-hoo caught the ball and threw it to shortstop Adames, who was standing on second base. However, Acuña, who started running from first, rounded third and dashed home to score. Lee Jung-hoo should have thrown the ball to first baseman Wilmer Flores, who was preparing to relay throw at the center of the diamond. However, assuming that Acuña wouldn't run home, he threw to second to prevent Baldwin from advancing, resulting in a run allowed at home."
However, Bob Melvin, the San Francisco manager, viewed the situation in the 4th inning not as a problem for Lee Jung-hoo alone, but as a team issue. Melvin said, "It's a lack of communication. Second baseman Schmidt should have informed Lee Jung-hoo about the runner's movements. Third baseman Matt Chapman tried to shout to alert them, but Schmidt is also still adapting to that position," and he added, "With plays like this, we get undesirable outcomes. We really look like a mess."
Acuña said, "As I stepped on second base, I looked to the outfield and noticed that the center fielder was slightly behind. At that moment, I had already decided to run home." Although third base coach Freddie Gonzalez tried to stop him, a speeding Acuña continued to charge home. Atlanta manager Brian Snitker praised Acuña, stating, "The only player who can pull that off is Acuña. He has rockets attached to him. I've seen this before. He has explosive speed but also the ability to accelerate even more in the middle."
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