It was obvious that a structure was installed on the wall of Sajik Stadium, which resulted in fewer home runs than before. Nevertheless, the team's offense was frustrating because the long hitters did not explode too much. Moreover, it was not a team that could play. As expected, foreign hitters were sluggish, with expectations that they would add extra long balls to the team. The trusted Jack Rex collapsed due to injury, and the new recruit Nico Goodrum was not a player who could turn the tide.
Lex, who started the 2023 season together, did not meet expectations. The expression "disappointment" suited him well. Having joined the Lotte Giants as a foreign hitter who will replace DJ Peters in 2022, Rex renewed his contract by posting a batting average of 0.330 with eight homers and 34 RBIs in 56 games in his first year. However, he failed to perform properly last year due to injury, and failed to avoid being kicked out as he had a batting average of 0.246, four homers and 30 RBIs in 55 games.
The newly recruited Goodrum was more of an infield utility player. It was difficult to take chances in the midst of a ranking battle. Goodrum chose the player who would not fail as much as possible. Goodrum hit .295 in 50 games after twists and turns in his performance, but failed to hit a single home run. The slugging percentage was 0.387, which was also below expectations. In other words, last year, Lotte had foreign hitters adding only four home runs. The team's slugging power could not have been working properly.
Lotte thus welcomed a new foreign hitter this year. Victor Reyes, a Venezuelan and experienced outfielder. Reyes made his Major League debut in 2018 with the Detroit Tigers and played in 394 Major League Baseball games through 2022. He posted a total batting average of 0.264 and 16 home runs. He was evaluated as capable of producing strong hits, and was selected as the final choice after receiving passing points in defense as well, such as being able to play all positions in the outfield.
Ahn Chi-hong of Hanwha Eagles left the team as a free agent. It is painful because the transfer of a player who had been providing more productivity to the batting lineup. After all, Reyes, a foreign hitter, is at the helm of this year's batting lineup. He got off to a good start by hitting two long balls, including a home run, at a practice game.
Reyes played as the starting third center fielder at a practice game against the Chiba Lotte Marines of the Japanese pro baseball held at Nishizaki Stadium in Itoman, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan on Sunday, and left impressive performances. Reyes, who is located behind a young table setter named Yoon Dong-hee and Kim Min-seok, had two hits (one homer) and one RBI and one run from three times at bat on the day, making a great effort. Both hits were extra-base hits or more than double. Reyes lost 3-7, but his hitting was comforting.
In the first at-bat in the first inning, he was out due to a double play. Lotte's first-runner Yoon Dong-hee drew a walk after a close game, followed by a heavy hit by Kim Min-seok, to take the opportunity to garner the first and second bases with no outs. Reyes, a switch-hitter, took the right batter's box in his first at-bat. However, he struggled without hitting the right batter's box and ended up hitting a double play in the shortstop field. Lotte also failed to take advantage of the first inning's opportunity to secure the first and second bases with no outs and finished the game scoreless.
However, the batter's box showed good results later. He led the batter's box as a lead-off hitter in the fourth inning when his team was losing 1-2. Standing at the left-handed batter's box, Reyes fired a big cannon that flew over the right-center fence against Niho, the second pitcher of the Chiba Lotte Marines. He exuded strength when his center was properly shifted. Although his swing was not that big, the moment he was hit, he displayed excellent impact, which led to a home run. Reyes changed his mood and finished the game in a good mood by hitting a double at the third at-bat in the sixth inning.
Reyes did not excel in slugging at the Major League level. However, the situation is slightly different when it comes to minor league level, which is closer to KBO league level, especially in recent years. Reyes failed to advance to the Major League last year, and stayed in Triple-A all season long. His record in Triple-A was 0.279 with 20 homers, 83 RBIs and 0.792 on-base plus slugging (OPS) in 128 games. He is attractive given that he posted relatively high scores in the International League.
There is a disadvantage that there are many strikeouts compared to walks, but his contact ability itself is not bad, so he is not the type of player who just floats. If he adapts well to the KBO League, expectations are high that he can grow into a mid- to long-distance hitter backed by contact. Attention is focusing on whether Reyes, a 196-centimeter giant and a player who fits well with the Giants, will be able to lead Lotte's lineup.
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