‘Kim Ha-Sung is at the peak of his form’ 1st in monthly WAR + 2nd overall in OPS…’Looks like he’s hitting for a triple’

Kim Ha-Sung’s run of near-peak form continues, with the South Korean batsman posting perfect scores in several hitting metrics.

Kim’s hitting is back on track. After going silent on the 15th (KST), his bat came alive the next day against Baltimore.

Starting at first base and batting second, Kim went 5-for-5 with a double and a multi-hit game, scoring a run and driving in another, raising his season average to .285 (111-for-390) from .283.

Kim’s value has also grown, especially as a leadoff hitter. As of Sunday morning, Kim was batting .318 with a .444 on-base percentage, .636 slugging percentage, and a 1.080 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) in the leadoff spot, according to FanGraphs.com, a major league statistics site.

His on-base percentage ranks second in the majors, behind only Ronald Acuña Jr. of the Atlanta Braves (.484), who is a frontrunner for National League MVP this season.

One of the reasons for the increase in his walk rate is the improvement in his strikeout rate. From 38 walks and 73 strikeouts in the first half of the year to 19 walks and 19 strikeouts in the second half.

With fewer strikeouts and more opportunities to pick off pitches, his on-base percentage naturally improved.

Kim has also been shining in terms of Wins Above Replacement (WAR). In the past month, his 2.1 WAR is tied for first place in monthly WAR with Freddie Freeman of the Los Angeles Dodgers. FanGraphs.com raved about him, saying, “He’s a stellar defender, but his bat isn’t far behind.” 메이저놀이터

In terms of WAR, as measured by Baseball-Reference, another major league statistics site, Kim ranks fourth in the majors with a figure of 5.7. He was once second behind the Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani (9.0), but has recently slipped to fourth place, trailing only Yakuna Jr. (6.4) and the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Mookie Betts (5.8).

Kim’s streak continues. He’s on track for a triple-digit batting average. He is currently batting .285 (111-for-390). With his sixth multi-hit game this month, a triple-double is no longer a pipe dream.

Meanwhile, Kim is scheduled to take the field against Baltimore on Sunday at 9:40 a.m. at Petco Park in San Diego, California, USA.