"So what if I don't hit 40 home runs, the youngest?" Kim Do-young bombards with 4 hits; this is why KIA fans are happy

[Financial News] Although he narrowly missed the title of "youngest player to hit 40 home runs," which would have rewritten the history of Korean baseball, the fans of the Tigers gave him a standing ovation. This was because they clearly witnessed with their own eyes the true nature of a "baseball genius" who perfectly dominates the game without hitting a single home run.
The KIA Tigers secured a commanding 8-3 victory in the final game of their weekend three-game series against the kt wiz at Gwangju-KIA Champions Field on the 6th, as part of the 2026 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League. With this win, KIA swept the crucial three-game home series against second-place KT, further solidifying their lead at the top of the standings.
The eyes of the baseball fans gathered at the Gwangju stadium that day were entirely focused on Kim Do-young, who started as the number 3 batter and third baseman. This was because it was the final 'deadline' for Kim Do-young, who had been suffering from a jinx of nine since hitting his 39th home run on the 26th of last month, to break the KBO League's all-time youngest record for 40 home runs (22 years, 11 months, and 5 days), set by Lee Seung-yup (then of the Samsung Lions) in 1999.
As a result, the record-breaking attempt fell through. Kim Do-young stepped up to the plate five times but ultimately failed to clear the fence. Since KIA's next game is scheduled for the 8th, when Kim Do-young will be 22 years, 11 months, and 6 days old, the opportunity to become the owner of the new youngest record has vanished.


However, the disappointment of missing out on the record was fleeting. Instead, having shaken off the psychological pressure regarding the record, Kim Do-young's bat danced even more ferociously. Aside from missing a home run, Kim Do-young recorded 4 hits in 4 at-bats and 3 runs, completing a perfect 100% on-base game. His presence was so overwhelming that in the bottom of the 6th inning with two outs and a runner on first, the KT bench avoided a confrontation and issued an intentional walk. With this intentional walk, Kim Do-young became the first player in the league this season to earn 10 intentional walks.
As Kim Do-young set the table perfectly, cleanup hitter Harold Castro roared. Starting with a go-ahead RBI single in the first inning, Castro unleashed his clutch instincts by sweeping up a whopping 4 hits (3 doubles) and 6 RBIs, including a double to left-center in the third inning, a 2-RBI double in the sixth inning, and a game-clinching 3-RBI double in the eighth inning.
On the mound, ace James Neil’s outstanding pitching shone. Although Neil gave up nine hits over six innings and faced a crisis in every inning, he showcased his signature crisis management skills and held on to two runs to reach the 10-win mark (6-loss) for the season. This marks his first double-digit win total in two years since 2024 (12 wins).
Although he missed the symbolic title of 'youngest player to hit 40 home runs,' that no longer mattered to KIA fans. The mere fact that the league's best hitter, who leads the team to victory by relentlessly attacking the opposing mound without hitting home runs, is firmly guarding the home plate is enough to make the Tigers' autumn already hot and happy.


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