Crazy bat is not enough? Pittsburgh's batting sense is at its peak, Pittsburgh's Bae Ji-hwan is now a .60 hitter, and two hits and two steals in two at-bats against Philadelphia
Mar 08, 2025
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It seemed as if he was throwing an angry swing at American journalists who poured out negative prospects about him. Bae Ji-hwan (25) who is seeking to enter the Major League again from the Pittsburgh Pirates in the U.S. Major League Baseball (MLB) recorded two hits and two steals in two at-bats in the first start in three days. Boasting a hot batting sense and fast feet, he raised his batting average in exhibition games to a whopping 61.5.
'Am I still not good enough!It was a demonstration of the cry of ' with skill.
Bae Ji-hwan started as the seventh center fielder in the 2025 MLB exhibition game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Lecombe Park in Bradenton, Florida, USA early on the 8th (Korea time). It was the first start in three games since the match against the Boston Red Sox on the 5th. Bae Ji-hwan had three hits in three at-bats, including one home run, against Boston, but did not play in the next two games.
Two consecutive games of rest after a high-sensitivity hit can be interpreted in two ways. One is when the Pittsburgh coaching staff, who completed the batting verification for Bae Ji-hwan, who wielded a hard hit in the 500s, gave Bae a break to check other players. It's a positive interpretation.
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In any case, Bae Ji-hwan once again clearly imprinted his presence on the Pittsburgh coaching staff in his first start in three games. This is a show of force against the local media as well as the team coaching staff.
On this day, Bae Ji-hwan entered his first at-bat as a leadoff hitter in the bottom of the third inning when he was trailing 0-1 after completing his defense stably in the first and second innings. After hitting an infield ball toward the shortstop against the opponent's starter, he was safe at first base with a fast foot.
In his first at-bat, he showed his fast focus. Bae Ji-hwan, who advanced to second base with a sacrifice bunt, immediately succeeded in stealing third base. However, there was no follow-up hit, so he couldn't make it to the home.
He then faced his second at-bat in the bottom of the fifth inning when the score was 1-1. I was lucky this time. The ball soared above the infield. However, Philadelphia's third baseman missed the drop point and couldn't catch the ball, so he got on base with another infield hit. Bae Ji-hwan stole second base again this time, achieving two steals in a game. This time, I stepped on the groove. When Nick Gonzalez hit a ground ball in front of the shortstop in the following one-out bases-loaded chance, he quickly came home and scored a come-from-behind goal.
Bae Ji-hwan, who showed in two at-bats that he can maintain his competitiveness with his fast flagship, even if the quality of the ball is not very good, was replaced by a pinch hitter in the bottom of the sixth inning and finished the game. Pittsburgh came from behind to win 3-2, and Bae Ji-hwan finished the game with two hits, two steals, and one run. His batting average in exhibition games soared to a whopping 0.615 (8 hits in 13 at-bats).
Looking at the batting average alone, I think I can be optimistic enough to enter the major league roster. However, the local evaluation of Bae Ji-hwan is not good so far.
After hitting three at-bats, including home runs, against Boston, Pirates reporters in the Pittsburgh area expressed very negative opinions about Bae Ji-hwan. Reporters Noah Hiles and Andrew Destin in charge of Pittsburgh Post-Gazette baseball responded to Pittsburgh fans' questions on the 7th, and they were pessimistic about Bae Ji-hwan's future.
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But Hiles' response was negative. He said 'All three futures are not bright. Bae Ji-hwan has excellent athletic ability, but he is skeptical that he can also come out at the Major League level. There's still a lot to show at-bats or defense,' he replied. In other words, Bae Ji-hwan's skills are not yet at the level of Major League Baseball.
Immediately after this answer, Bae Ji-hwan showed two hits and two steals in two at-bats. It was as if he was protesting against reporter Hiles, saying, "Is he not good enough at the major league level?" It is expected that Bae Ji-hwan will be able to erase his negative outlook on himself with his own skills.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
