San Francisco Giants’ Jung-Hoo Lee (26) hits a single in his first at-bat.
Lee Jung-hoo started in center field against the San Diego Padres in the 2024 Major League Baseball game at Petco Park in San Diego, California, on Tuesday.
Lee led off the first inning with a walk and saw a 92.3 mph (148.5 km/h) sinker from San Diego starter Joe Musgrove for a strike. The second pitch, an 87-mph (140.0-kilometer) changeup, was right down the middle and Lee didn’t miss it. With a clean swing, he smashed the 108.9-mph (175.3-kilometer) delivery over center field for a single. However, it didn’t turn into a run as the next batter, Jorge Soler, hit a double.
Lee, who batted .344 (3476-for-1181) with 65 home runs, 515 RBIs and an OPS of .898 in 884 games in the KBO, signed a six-year, $113 million contract with San Francisco this offseason. Lee started in center field in the season opener on Sept. 29 and had a successful debut, going 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI. Lee, 안전놀이터 who became the 27th Korean player to ever play in the major leagues, became the fifth Korean hitter in history to record a hit in his debut and the second Korean hitter to record a RBI in his debut.
In a pregame interview, Lee said, “I slept well and rested. I’m in good shape. Yesterday, I didn’t get a hit in my first two at-bats, so I had a strong desire to hit, but I think I’m a little more relaxed now that I got a hit,” Lee said about his feelings going into the game. With the pressure of his first hit off his shoulders early on, Lee followed up his debut with a hit in the second game, making it two straight games with a hit in his first at-bat.