Kim Ha-seong pushes hitting streak to 13 games

Kim Ha-seong just keeps on going. The San Diego Padres utility man extended his hitting streak to 13 games on Monday, batting two-for-five with a run scored against the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 13-7 loss at home in San Diego.

San Diego Padres third baseman Kim Ha-seong advances home to score a run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the third inning at Petco Park on Monday. [USA TODAY/YONHAP]

Kim Ha-seong just keeps on going.

The San Diego Padres utility man extended his hitting streak to 13 games on Monday, batting two-for-five with a run scored against the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 13-7 loss at home in San Diego.

Kim managed two singles in Monday’s outing, singling to left field and later coming around to score in the third inning and then again to center in the fifth. He lined out in the first, struck out in the seventh and popped out in the ninth to end the game.

Monday’s performance was just another day in the office for Kim, who has been enjoying a banner season with 15 home runs, 41 RBIs and a .288 batting average as of press time Tuesday.

Over the last 15 games — which includes the entirety of that hitting streak that started on July 24 — Kim’s batting average has shot up to .442 with 23 knocks, eight RBIs and 13 runs scored with his slugging percentage at .692.

Kim’s success at the plate marks a turning point for his big league career. Despite being an offensive powerhouse in the KBO, Kim’s first two seasons in the big leagues have been defined more by his defensive prowess than his hitting ability.

But that has changed this season. As well as already posting his best season numbers — he hit 11 home runs with 59 RBIs last season and eight homers with 34 RBIs in 2021 — Kim is not only riding a 13-game hitting streak, but also a 15-game on-base streak.

Kim has some way to go if he wants to break the Korean record on that second statistic. Back in 2018, former Texas Ranger and current SSG Lander Choo Shin-soo pushed an on-base streak to a huge 52 games, setting a new Rangers record in the process.

With 15 home runs on the season and 24 bases stolen, Kim is also now only five big flies away from becoming the second Korean player ever to join the MLB 20-20 club, after Choo.

Kim was not the only Korean on the field on Monday, with recent Padres addition Choi Ji-man playing at first.

San Diego Padres' Luis Campusano, right, celebrates with teammate Choi Ji-man after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning of a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday. [AP/YONHAP]

Choi, 32, was traded from Pittsburgh Pirates last week and zero-for-two on Monday with a walk and a run scored.

Choi has been playing in the MLB since 2016, making him the most experienced Korean position player still in action. After spells with the Los Angeles Angels, New York Yankees and Milwaukee Brewers, Choi’s career really took off with the Tampa Bay Rays, where he also became the first Korean hitter to appear in a World Series game in 2020.

Choi is currently batting only .185 with 6 home runs on the season, but four of those long flies have come in the last month following his return from injury.

Monday’s game rounds off the Padres’ home stand against the Dodgers with the visitors taking the series three games to one. The Padres now fly north to Seattle, where they take on the Mariners in a two-game series starting Tuesday at T-Mobile Park.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]