Please use it as a substitute Will the tearful Bae Ji-hwan's hard-hitting demonstration be able to penetrate the opening entry needle hole
Mar 20, 2025
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Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Bae Ji-hwan (26) hit hard again to enter the opening entry of the Major League Baseball (MLB) like a needle hole amid still negative local media evaluation. He is focusing all his strength on appealing his batting and fast feet. The game shows that he is trying his best until the last time of his choice.
Bae Ji-hwan started as the first center fielder in the 2025 MLB exhibition game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Charlotte Sports Park in Port Charlotte, Florida on the 20th (Korea time), and played a 100% role as a leadoff with two hits, one RBI, one run and one walk in three at-bats. His slugging power stood out to the extent that both hits were doubles. The batting was also a hit, but it stood out even more thanks to its enormous speed.
Bae Ji-hwan, who only hit a fly ball to shortstop in his first at-bat as a leadoff hitter in the top of the first inning, came out to the second at-bat in the top of the third inning with one out and one on the first base, when he was trailing 0-3, and pushed the outside first pitch of opposing starter Jack Rittell to hit a timely double to the left.
Bae Ji-hwan then advanced to third base with a sensational base run that penetrated the loopholes of the opponent's defense's relay play while first baseman Henry Davis entered the home. It was a superplay that showed batting skills and baserunning ability at once.
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Bae Ji-hwan then hit a double in the fifth inning by beating the opponent's starter Ritel, too, with one out and one on the first base. As in the third inning, he pushed the outside first pitch and hit a left-handed double, but this time, Davis, the first baseman, failed to get home and stopped at third base. It was Bae Ji-hwan's sixth double in the exhibition game. Pittsburgh, which was trailing 2-3, created a come-from-behind chance with one out and runners on second and third bases thanks to Bae Ji-hwan, but failed to score points due to strikeouts and straight hits by third baseman.
Bae Ji-hwan succeeded in getting on base for the third time on the day by getting a straight walk from the opponent's second pitcher Manuel Rodriguez in his fourth at-bat after two outs in the top of the seventh inning. However, Frazier struck out the follow-up hitter and failed to make it home.
With this, Bae Ji-hwan's batting average in exhibition games rose slightly to 0.444 (16 hits in 36 times at bat). During the exhibition game, he ranks first in the batting average and most hits in the Pittsburgh team.
Such a hard hitting show is a weapon that can increase Bae Ji-hwan's chances of entering the opening entry of the Major League. If he continues his high batting average until the end of the exhibition game, he can look for at least one outfield backup. Pittsburgh may include Bae Ji-hwan in the opening entry as a left-handed pinch-hitter or pinch-runner.
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Pittsburgh still doesn't trust Bae Ji-hwan's high batting rate in the exhibition game. It seems to be dismissed as a temporary phenomenon in exhibition games. This trend is also revealed in the minor league camp-bound list announced on the 19th.
Among the eight players Pittsburgh sent to the minor league camp on the day is Matt Gore-Ski, the team's No. 1 home run-run player during the exhibition game. Goreski was batting .375 (9 for 24) with four homers and 13 RBIs. An internal and external utility agent like Bae Ji-hwan.
This is evidence that Pittsburgh does not view utility personnel's strike in exhibition games as important judgment data. Although Bae Ji-hwan was not on the list for the minor league camp, this is why he cannot be relieved.
Bae Ji-hwan has shown almost everything he has to show now in terms of hitting. Only Pittsburgh's choice remains.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
