Attention → Frustration → Resurrection: SF Lee Jung-hoo, who wrote a perfect hero story with three hits, is important from now on

Jul 03, 2025

Attention → Frustration → Resurrection SF Lee Jung-hoo, who wrote a perfect hero story with three hits, is important from now on
Until now, it's a complete plot of heroic narratives.

Lee Jung-hoo of the San Francisco Giants, who ended the season early due to an injury last year, quickly emerged as a key icon of the team with a better-than-expected performance earlier this year. Then, he fell into a hitting slump for nearly two months from early May, causing great disappointment.

But Lee Jung-hoo didn't give up. He watched and whipped himself while watching videos of when he was good for his revival, reducing the extreme stress inside. And finally, the long-awaited triple hit game was born. A character born with great talent and qualities is frustrated in a great ordeal, but it is a typical plot of the 'hero narrative' that eventually grows into a hero who overcomes and saves the world.



Attention → Frustration → Resurrection SF Lee Jung-hoo, who wrote a perfect hero story with three hits, is important from now on
Lee Jung-hoo responds to his dugout teammates who cheer after hitting a superior triple in the top of the first inning in an away game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on the 3rd (Korea time). AP Yonhap News
Attention → Frustration → Resurrection SF Lee Jung-hoo, who wrote a perfect hero story with three hits, is important from now on
San Francisco's local media are more welcoming Lee Jung-hoo's revival. AFP Yonhap News
So far, it's a plot of perfect hero narratives.

Lee Jung-hoo of the San Francisco Giants, who ended the season early due to injury last year, immediately emerged as a key icon of the team with a better-than-expected performance earlier this year. Then, he fell into a hitting slump for nearly two months from early May, causing great disappointment.

However, Lee Jung-hoo did not give up. He watched and whipped himself while watching videos of when he was good for his revival, reducing the extreme stress inside. And finally, the long-awaited triple hit game was born. A character born with great talent and qualities is frustrated in a great ordeal, but it is a typical plot of the 'hero narrative' that eventually grows into a hero who overcomes and saves the world. In order for this story to end with a happy ending, this is the key from now on. The tide of revival must continue.




Lee Jung-hoo started as the 5th center fielder in an away game against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2025 Major League Baseball (MLB) at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona on the 3rd (Korea time), and led his team to a losing streak with 3 hits, 1 RBI and 2 runs from 5 times at bat. San Francisco won 6-5, securing a three-game losing streak.

In particular, Lee Jung-hoo hit a triple, a double, and a single in turn, raising expectations for a cycling hit. Although it did not complete the cycling hit because there was no home run, it must have been an performance that blew away the severe hitting difficulties in May and June. It was the fifth triple hit game of the year in 57 days since the game against the Chicago Cubs on May 7.

Attention → Frustration → Resurrection SF Lee Jung-hoo, who wrote a perfect hero story with three hits, is important from now on
San Francisco's fifth batter Lee Jung-hoo hits a triple in the top of the first inning and settles on the base in an away game against Arizona on the 3rd. AP Yonhap News
On this day, Lee Jung-hoo pulled Arizona starter Merrill Kelly's first fastball (92.6 miles) at the top of the first inning with two outs and a runner on the first base and flew deep into the right-center outfield before running to the third base. First baseman Wilmer Flores homered enough for San Francisco to take an early lead of 2-0.




In the top of the fourth inning, when it was 2-0, he came out as the leadoff hitter and also hit a double to the right-center against Kelly. He hit Kelly's 6th changeup (88.5 miles) properly. Following the fastball, he strongly hit the changeup. Maybe meeting Kelly was lucky for Lee Jung-hoo. This is because Kelly has already been Lee Jung-hoo's 'hit vending machine' since his KBO league days. His opponent's batting average was 0.467 (7 hits in 15 at-bats).

Lee Jung-hoo's confidence returned to good times in April as he hit long balls in succession in the first two at-bats. After that, Lee Jung-hoo hit an infield hit to the first base and homered when he walked and hit a timely hit to the middle field. In the top of the 10th inning of extra time, he went to second base in advance and scored the winning run with Elliott Ramos' infield hit and Bailey's sacrifice fly to center field. He won his team's victory by proving once again the baseball adage that `there is no slump on the foot.'

Lee Jung-hoo's batting average rose to 0.246 (77 hits in 313 at-bats). Even the 240-percent collapse was feared, but it was able to provide an opportunity for a rebound. If this pace is maintained steadily, the batting average will inevitably recover.




Attention → Frustration → Resurrection SF Lee Jung-hoo, who wrote a perfect hero story with three hits, is important from now on
The key is to maintain confidence after all. After the three-hit game, Lee Jung-hoo said "June was really bad. It was psychologically discouraged because of bad luck, with a good ball going to the front of the defense"But I changed my batting form by watching the video of the good game at the beginning of the season. I wanted to bring back the feeling of good times and show it to my colleagues. If we play a good game from July to September today, I think it can help the team win", he also explained the driving force behind the recovery and suffering of the past.

Local media were also excited by Lee Jung-hoo's three-hit game for the first time in a long time. The San Francisco Chronicle says 'Lee Jung-hoo was at the center of the Giants at-bat explosion earlier in the season. However, it has suffered a deep slump since mid-June, coupled with the team's decline. After June 16, his batting average was only 0.075 (4 hits in 53 at-bats)' and in July, Lee Jung-hoo overcame the slump and led the team. He made a powerful attack by hitting a cycling hit without a home run.

Attention → Frustration → Resurrection SF Lee Jung-hoo, who wrote a perfect hero story with three hits, is important from now on
There is plenty of room for Lee Jung-hoo to emerge again as a 'hero of Giants'. The first half of the season is not over yet. It is important that there was a sign of revival at this point. If Lee Jung-hoo showed no signs of escaping from the slump until the All-Star Game break, the second half was likely to be played in a nightmare. There could have been a minor league trip.

However, Lee Jung-hoo eventually fired a signal to escape the slump on his own. It is practically impossible for a three-hit game to continue as it did against Arizona on the 3rd. However, it is necessary to continue even one hit at a time. If you continue to have hits in consecutive games and play multi-hit games occasionally, it is only a matter of time before you return to your batting average in the late-20s.

Arithmetically, if Lee Jung-hoo adds 35 hits over the next 100 at-bats, he can raise his batting average for the season to 0.271 (112 hits in 413 at-bats). He deserves to be called a major league-class hitter. He is currently ranked in the 50th place among 157 major league hitters who have met the standard at-bats.

Is it an impossible goal. Not necessarily. You can type it like April. Lee Jung-hoo appeared at 102 at-bats in 26 games in April, hitting 33 hits and hitting a monthly batting average of 0.324. If this pace is regained, it will be possible to re-enter the 260-percent range by the end of July. If this pace continues steadily in August and September, we can expect it to be in the late 20% although it may be up to 30%. Attention is focusing on how long Lee Jung-hoo will be able to maintain the hope of revival. For now, the wind began to blow again.



Reporter Lee Won-man wman@sportschosun.com



This article was translated by Naver AI translator.