Foreign stars fuel KBO buzz

[Anchor]

The professional baseball league will finally resume its second half schedule starting tomorrow after the All-Star break.

In addition to the fierce competition for rankings, the achievements of players, such as Samsung Lions Diaz's home run streak, are also intriguing.

Reporter Park Jumi has the story.

[Report]

Receiving so much love from fans that he almost had his passport taken away, he won the home run derby by hitting over the Monster Wall with his leading home run skills.

Samsung's Diaz's first half was nothing short of fantastic.

He has hit a whopping 29 home runs.

With a record 9 home runs ahead of the second-place group, he ranks first in the home run category.

He is also the best in three hitting metrics: RBIs, slugging percentage, and batting average.

Experts point out that his leg kick, which generates explosive power as he lowers his leg while gathering strength in his left hip, creates a typical home run trajectory.

Unlike last season when he joined midway through the league, this season he has participated in every game, producing one home run every three games.

Mathematically, he is expected to hit 47 home runs this season, but given his ability to hit in bunches, achieving 50 home runs in a single season as the first foreign player is also possible.

[Lewin Diaz/Samsung Lions: "I've never hit so many home runs before the first half. So I think I'm like a career-high. I don't want to put limits in my numbers. I'd like to rush."]

The record challenges of foreign players, such as Lotte Giants' Reyes aiming for 200 hits for two consecutive seasons and Hanwha Eagles' Ponce continuing the most consecutive opening wins, are expected to provide another spectacle in the second half.

This is KBS News, Park Jumi.