Incheon: Choi Jeong of the SSG Landers became the first player in South Korean baseball history with 500 career home runs Tuesday. Choi launched a two-run shot for his milestone homer off Riley Thompson of the NC Dinos at Incheon SSG Landers Field, marking a historic moment in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO).
According to Yonhap News Agency, Choi, 38, is already the KBO’s career home run leader, having surpassed former Samsung Lions great Lee Seung-yuop by hitting his 468th home run on April 24 last year. Coming into this season, Choi was just five home runs shy of reaching the 500 mark, but a hamstring injury delayed his achievement until Tuesday.
Choi’s journey to the milestone included a home run in his season debut on May 2, followed by additional home runs on May 4 and 5. He inched closer to the record on Saturday with a solo homer in the ninth inning during a 5-4 loss to the Kia Tigers, setting the stage for his historic achievement on Tuesday.
Batting third as the designated hitter, Choi had a challenging start, grounding out in the first inning and striking out in the fourth. However, in the bottom of the sixth with two outs and a runner on first, he capitalized on a hanging 3-2 slider from Thompson, sending it into the left-field seats to tie the score at 2-2.
Earlier in the at-bat, a potential walk was overturned by the automated ball-strike system, allowing Choi another chance which he seized to make history. Following his home run, the game paused briefly for a celebration where Choi received flowers from his teammates and posed for photos with a commemorative plaque alongside team captain Kim Kwang-hyun.
Choi’s career began with a single home run as an 18-year-old rookie in 2005. Since then, he has achieved double-digit home runs each season, a 19-year streak that is the longest in KBO history. Choi has hit at least 20 home runs in a record nine consecutive seasons and is on track to extend this streak, with 106 games remaining this year.
Overall, Choi, a three-time home run king, has achieved a dozen 20-homer seasons, tying with Lee Seung-yuop for the most in KBO history. He has consistently finished in the top 10 in annual home run races, securing a spot in the top five every year since 2019.