SSG Landers outfielder Han Yu-seom (34) hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the third inning of Game 1 of the doubleheader against the LG Twins on Sunday. LG starter Detrick Ness pulled a fastball of 144 kilometers per hour from the ball count of 2B2S to the right stand of the outfield at SSG Landers Field in Incheon. The distance measured 115 meters. It was his 10th homerun in his 25th game of this season. Han Yu-seom has 10 homers and 0.39 homers per game in 26 games until Game 2 of the doubleheader.
He hit three home runs in the last six games. If he keeps the current pace, he can hit 55.4 home runs.
Choi Jeong and Mel Rojas Jr. (KT Wiz), who are on the same team as Han Yu-seom, have nine, and Kim Do-young (KIA Tigers) have eight. Choi Jung-eun played 20, Rojas played 26, and Kim Do-young played 24. The home run pace is much faster than usual.
SSG, the No. 1 player in home runs, hit 34 in 26 games, KT and Doosan Bears hit 27 in 26 games, and KIA hit 27 in 24 games. The four teams hit more than one per game. The Hanwha Eagles, who ranked last in team home runs, recorded 15 and 0.6 in 24 games.
As of April 22, there were 240 home runs in 124 KBO league games and 1.94 home runs per game. The site explained that the number of home runs has increased due to increased resistance to official ball.
Although it is early in the season, the number of home runs in Japanese professional baseball has decreased.
As of Tuesday, the Central League’s No. 1 homerun was four. Murakami Munetaka and Jose Osuna of the Yakult Swallows played 19 games side by side, and the Hanshin Tigers’ Mauricita Shota played 21 games each, hitting four each.
The Pacific League is similar. Leandro Cedeno of the Orix Buffaloes, who hit five in 21 games, is at the top. Kondo Kensuke and hotaka Yamakawa, who are at the center of the Softbank Hawks, played in 21 games and hit four. They are tying for second.
According to Japanese media, the average number of home runs per game of 12 teams was 0.42 as of last Monday. It was 0.84 in 2021, 0.76 in 2022, and 0.73 in 2023. It has decreased every year. The Japanese professional baseball league is basically the “throw-to-thrower” league, but it seems to have intensified this year.
Hanshin is the No. 1 hitter in homers among 12 teams in both leagues, but has hit 13 in 21 games. The number of homers per game is 0.62. It is less than half of the 1.31 recorded by SSG per game.
Softbank ranked second with 12 in 19 games, Yakult had 11 in 19 games, and the Nippon-Ham Fighters had 11 in 18 games. Hiroshima Carp and Rakuten Eagles had only five home runs.
There are various explanations for the decrease in home runs. There is no choice but to say that the flying distance has decreased due to the decrease in the repulsive power of the official ball. However, some say that it is the result of an increase in the level of pitchers.
Pitchers are constantly increasing their speed. It is easy to see pitchers throwing fastballs in the 150km/h range for each team. All relief pitchers throw more than 150km/h for the Chunichi Dragons. In addition, his control of breaking balls has improved, increasing the difficulty of batters. As a pitcher’s kingdom, pitchers’ ability levels are gradually increasing.
Yomiuri Giants right-hander Yuhi Nishidate has posted an ERA of zero in nine games. While pitching eight ⅓, he gave up two hits and struck out five. He posted nine holds to rank No. 1 in this category.
Starting pitcher Takahashi Ray played in four games, allowing one run (one earned run) and 0.38 ERA in 24 innings. Returning again, ace Tomoyuki Sugano had 0.44 ERA in three games and 20 ⅓ innings. The Yomiuri Giants’ ERA is 1.90. In 12 games in both leagues 룸알바
Eight of the teams maintain a two-point ERA.
There is no team in the KBO League with an ERA of two points. KIA ranks first in this category with 3.58. KT has a whopping 6.94.
