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Trio of ex-KBO teammates submit mixed performances in 1st half of MLB season

Published: 14 Jul. 2025, 16:19

Lee Jung-hoo of the San Francisco Giants hits a single against the Colorado Rockies in the second inning at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado, on June 12. [AFP/YONHAP]

A trio of former teammates in the Korean league found themselves playing in Major League Baseball (MLB) at the same time during the first half of this season, while submitting a mixed bag of performances during that stretch.

San Francisco Giants center fielder Lee Jung-hoo showed the most promise at the start of the season — his second in MLB — after playing only 37 games as a rookie last year due to a shoulder injury. Lee was batting .324/.369/.539 at the end of April with his first career two-homer game thrown in.

But a slow May bled into a June swoon, as Lee put up a meager .143/.277/.274 line that month. His batting numbers for the season dropped to .240/.311/.393 by the end of June.

He has shown some signs of life so far in July. After going 1-for-3 with a double against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the final game before the break in San Francisco on Sunday, Lee has a .324/.366/.486 line in 10 games this month. He is batting .249/.317/.403 for the season.

Despite his earlier struggles, Lee still leads the Giants with 19 doubles and eight triples.

Lee, 26, was a star for the Kiwoom Heroes in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) for seven seasons before becoming a Giant. Lee's best friend on the Heroes, Kim Hye-seong, joined him in the United States this year by signing with the Dodgers, the Giants' hated National League West rivals.

Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Kim Hye-seong Kim prepares to bat against the San Francisco Giants during the second inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, California on July 12. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Kim, 26, began the season in Triple-A and was called up on May 3. He has yet to establish himself as an everyday play on the deep Dodgers team, but Kim has still been a solid contributor for the defending World Series champions thanks to his defensive versatility, bat-to-ball skills and speed on base paths.

Kim came on as a pinch hitter against the Giants on Sunday, going 0-for-2 with a strikeout. He is hitting .339/.378/.464 for the season.

Kim has logged time at second base, shortstop and center field. Despite playing only 48 of the Dodgers' 97 games so far, Kim is second on the team with 11 steals and has not been caught.

Another former member of the Heroes in MLB switched teams over the offseason and is trying to find his footing after a long injury layoff.

Tampa Bay Rays' Kim Ha-seong bunts into a fielder's choice in the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox in Boston on July 12. [AP/YONHAP]

Shortstop Kim Ha-seong signed with the Tampa Bay Rays in February, following four seasons with the San Diego Padres. Kim only made his season debut on July 4 after recovering from shoulder surgery in October. He promptly missed three straight games due to right calf cramp before returning last Tuesday.

Kim, 29, is predictably off to a so-so start, with a .227/.227/.409 batting line in six games, along with a homer, three RBIs and a steal. Kim has struck out seven times but has not drawn a walk.

Bae Ji-hwan of the Pittsburgh Pirates has been a forgotten man in the Korean contingent this year. The 25-year-old played two games before being optioned to the minors on April 3. He was called up on May 9 but was sent back down to the minors a week later after batting 1-for-7 in five games. He hasn't been in MLB since.

While with Triple-A Indianapolis, Bae also spent time on the injured list. In 43 minor league games at two levels, Bae is hitting .288/.362/.393 with a homer, 16 RBIs and 12 steals.
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