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Kim Ha-sung's first designated hitter since entering MLB, adding a double - losing all 10 games of the Padres extension

San Diego Bob Melvin appointed Kim Ha-sung as the designated hitter and top hitter in a game against the Rockies at Coors Field in Colorado on the 1st (Korea Standard Time).

In a home game against the Texas Rangers the previous day, Kim Ha-sung injured his right shoulder by catcher Sam Huff's blocking while digging into the home plate during Xander Bogartz's center fielder sacrifice fly in the third inning.
On the previous day, Melvin said, "(Kim) Ha-sung said he was okay, but he did not dislocate his shoulder due to a collision with the catcher while sliding, but he was in an uncomfortable condition," signaling his absence from the Rockies match. However, he showed his intention to play on the same day, so the second base defense gave him a break and needed a team attack, so he considered playing only as a batter.

"Ha Sung is a batter who shows high on-base regardless of left and right with a table setter," Melvin said, stressing that he is a built-in top hitter. It's a high-flying flight on record.

He has produced nine hits in the last 10 games and has made four multi-hits with two or more hits. He also added stolen bases the previous day, making him the first fielder since 2021 to write more than 20 long balls (double or more) since Fernando Tatis Jr. Since 2016, six players have recorded more than 20 long hits and steals.

On the day of his first designated hitter in MLB, he hit a double (season 15th) in his last at-bat after two outs in the ninth inning to create a scoring position and become a come-from-behind scorer. However, the game went into extra time with the strikeout of the trusted Tatis Jr. Did the pressure play a role. He maintained a batting average of 0.279 and an OPS of 0.822 with one walk and one hit in four at-bats.

However, the Padres failed to continue their sweep against Texas. Center fielder Trent Grisham, who provided an excuse for losing a point with a mistake in the fifth inning of the ninth inning when the team was losing 2-3, hit a tie-breaking home run (No. 11) to gain momentum. In addition, Bogartz, Jake Cronenworth, and Gary Sanchez stepped down with consecutive hits and knelt 3-4 with a walk-off sacrifice fly to the Rockies in the bottom of the 10th inning.

The Padres failed to break another two jinx against the Rockies. He has never won three consecutive games this year. All 10 overtime losses. He still showed weakness in the one-point game, sticking to the bottom of MLB with 6 wins and 18 losses this season.

Meanwhile, the Padres-Rockies match was played at 9 p.m. local time after 20 minutes of delay due to heavy rain before the game.