Choi Ji-man Hits First Right-Handed Home Run Since MLB Debut... Team Wins 6-5 Comeback Victory

Choi Ji-man celebrating after hitting a home run. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Min Jun-young] Choi Ji-man (29, Tampa Bay Rays), who plays in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States, hit his first home run of the season in a game where he appeared as a right-handed batter.

The Tampa Bay Rays played the final game of a three-game series at home against the 2020 MLB Toronto Blue Jays on the 27th (Korean time) at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.

In this game, Choi Ji-man started as the leadoff hitter (first baseman).

In the third inning, during Choi Ji-man's second at-bat, the Blue Jays replaced right-handed pitcher Thomas Hatch with left-handed pitcher Anthony Kay.

Right-handed throwing and left-handed batting Choi Ji-man stepped into the right-handed batter's box for the first time in his MLB career but struck out swinging.

However, in the bottom of the sixth inning, when the team was trailing 0-4, Choi Ji-man faced Kay for the second time and swung at a 145 km/h four-seam fastball on the first pitch.

The ball flew straight and cleared the left-center field fence at Tropicana Field.

This was the first time in 4 years and 8 months since November 26, 2015, in the Dominican Republic Winter League that Choi Ji-man recorded a hit as a right-handed batter in an official game.

According to MLB.com, the home run distance was 131 meters, and the ball speed was 177 km/h, the hardest hit by a Tampa Bay batter this year.

Choi Ji-man also appeared as a right-handed batter in the bottom of the ninth inning, drawing a walk and scoring a run with a push-in RBI.

That day, the Tampa Bay Rays won a close game in extra innings, scoring 2 runs in the bottom of the 10th inning to win 6-5 in a come-from-behind victory.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.