GWANGJU — Kia Tigers infielder Kim Do-yeong entered the prestigious 20-20 club of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) after hitting a home run against Hanwha Eagles' pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin on Sunday at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim's milestone home run came during the fourth inning, marking his 20th homer of the season. This achievement was complemented by his 22 stolen bases already recorded prior to the game. At the age of 20 years, eight months, and 21 days, Kim is now the second youngest player in KBO history to achieve a 20-20 season. His impressive feat tied him with former NC Dinos star Eric Thames, who reached similar marks in just 73 games back in 2015.
Kim's performance this season places him among a select group of four KBO players who have recorded at least 20 home runs and 20 steals before the All-Star break. Notably, former stars such as Park Jae-hong and Lee Byung-kyu, and Eric Thames previously accomplished this rare feat.
Ryu Hyun-jin, a former major league All-Star now pitching for the Hanwha Eagles, had a streak of 28 1/3 innings without an earned run before Kim's home run. Ryu, who had allowed only one home run over 80 innings this season, also gave up additional homers to Choi Hyoung-woo and Na Sung-bum in the subsequent innings.