'You're back, Lee Jung-hoo'
Lee Jung-hoo (27), who recharged his physical strength by taking a good rest for one game, quickly returned to the team's starting lineup as expected. It is a natural choice because he is playing the role of the best hitter in the team.
Lee Jung-hoo was listed as the third center fielder in the starting lineup for the away game against the Los Angeles Angels in 2025 Major League Baseball (MLB) at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California on the morning of the 19th (Korea time). Lee Jung-hoo, who was excluded from the starting lineup in the last four consecutive away games against the Philadelphia Phillies the previous day, returned to the best nine in one game.
San Francisco batted in the order of Eliot Ramos (left fielder), Willie Adames (striker), Lee Jung-hoo (center fielder), Matt Chapman (third baseman), Wilmer Flores (designated hitter), Casey Schmidt (first baseman), Mike Yastremski (right fielder), Patrick Bailey (catcher) and Tyler Fitzgerald (second baseman).
It was coach Bob Melvin's consideration that Lee Jung-hoo was excluded from the selection against Philadelphia the previous day. Excluding Lee Jung-hoo, who boasts the hottest hitting sense in the team early this season, from the starting lineup is not an easy choice. Lee currently ranks first in the Major League in terms of two doubles (10).
Within the team, the batting average, most hits, runs, doubles (10), slugging percentage, and OPS are all ranked first. It takes a lot of courage to remove such a batter from the starting lineup. However, Melvin chose to arrange Lee Jung-hoo's physical strength from a long-term perspective rather than one win ahead of him.
Just in time, San Francisco is at the beginning of the `17 consecutive games of hell.' Starting with three consecutive Interleague away games against the New York Yankees on the 12th, they have to play as many as 17 consecutive games (New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, LA Angels, Milwaukee, Texas) until the 28th. It's a force that you can't even imagine if it's the KBO League.
The travel distance is also not easy. Starting from San Francisco, the home turf, he will shoot New York-Philadelphia-Anaheim, and then return to San Francisco. It's an ultra-long travel schedule that crosses the U.S. left-right twice. Therefore, the 18th, the last day of the Eastern expedition, was the perfect time to rest for Lee Jung-hoo.
That doesn't mean I'm just resting. Lee Jung-hoo appeared as a pinch hitter at catcher Sam Huff's at-bat after two outs in the top of the ninth inning, trailing 4-6 and faced opponent left-hander Jose Alvarado. Lee Jung-hoo met in the eighth inning of the game on the 16th and scored a timely hit. Lee Jung-hoo hit a 100.3-mile sinker on the sixth pitch after a full count match to produce a hit. This has the effect of catching both 'two rabbits' of resting and maintaining a sense of hit.
Lee Jung-hoo, who has maintained his best condition, will again take the lead in defeating the LA Angels.
The opposing starter is left-hander Tyler Anderson. Anderson, who won 10 wins (15 losses) with a 3.81 ERA last year and won in double digits for the second time in his career, started three games this year and has a 2.87 ERA with one win (no loss).
However, despite being a left-handed pitcher this year, he has been exceptionally weak against left-handed batters. The hit rate against right-handed hitters is only 0.075, but the hit rate soared to 0.385 against left-handed hitters.
On the other hand, Lee Jung-hoo is a left-handed hitter this year, but he is showing the aspect of a left-handed pitcher killer. He is the unrivaled number one in the team with a batting average of 0.450 (9 hits in 20 at-bats). In short, he is the worst opponent for Anderson.
Attention is focusing on whether Lee Jung-hoo, who maintained his physical strength and batting sense at his best, will be the main player in the first game of the away game of the Los Angeles Angels. San Francisco is currently third in the National League West (13 wins and 6 losses). It is second to the San Diego Padres (15-4) - Los Angeles Dodgers (14-6). More wins are needed. Lee Jung-hoo should be the troubleshooter.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
