KBO home run king Choi Jeong itching to return to hot corner
Choi Jeong of the SSG Landers prepares to hit the ball against the Samsung Lions during the clubs' Korea Baseball Organization regular-season game at Incheon SSG Landers Field in the western city of Incheon, July 3. Courtesy of SSG Landers
On the surface, Choi Jeong, veteran slugger for the SSG Landers, is enjoying his typically productive season.
The career leader in Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) history with 537 home runs, Choi has belted a team-leading 19 homers in 68 games so far in 2026, while driving in 54 runs. He is one dinger away from becoming the first player in league history to hit 20 or more homers in 11 consecutive seasons. At 39, Choi remains one of the most feared mashers in the KBO.
However, Choi admits he feels as if he has not helped his team much this year. That feeling of worthlessness, Choi explained Tuesday after a 4-2 win over the Doosan Bears in Seoul, stems from the fact that he has been largely confined to designated hitter (DH) duties. Injuries have kept him from playing third base as often as he would like.
"This really feels weird, something I have never experienced before," Choi told reporters after launching a two-run homer in the victory at Jamsil Baseball Stadium. "Personally, whenever we lose games when I only play as DH, I feel like I offer absolutely zero help and I am the reason for the loss. That feeling is even worse when I have a bad day at the plate. I am not used to this."
That the Landers have been doing plenty of losing has not helped, either. Tuesday's victory snapped their losing streak at nine games. Earlier in the year, they lost a franchise-worst 13 straight games. They ranked as high as second at one point in the season but now find themselves in ninth place among 10 teams with a record of 31-50-3 (wins-losses-ties). They are closer to last place than they are to eighth place.
In 2025, due to assorted injuries, Choi only played 95 games and logged 406 plate appearances, both of them his lowest totals since 2015. Of those 406, 215 came as DH, the first time in his career that Choi made more than half of his plate appearances as DH.
Choi Jeong of the SSG Landers follows through on a solo home run against the Lotte Giants during the clubs' Korea Baseball Organization regular-season game at Incheon SSG Landers Field in the western city of Incheon, June 18. Courtesy of SSG Landers
Through Tuesday's action this season, Choi has had 90 of his 199 plate appearances as DH. He has been dealing with a left hip injury that has kept him off the hot corner since June 4, and he said he was frustrated with the mysterious nature of his condition.
"It still hurts, but I have yet to receive a clear guideline on how to treat this injury," Choi said. "I would obviously love a little more clarity. I am doing what I can so that I can start playing on the field again after the All-Star break (next week)."
SSG Landers third baseman Choi Jeong makes a throw to second base during a Korea Baseball Organization regular-season game against the Hanwha Eagles at Incheon SSG Landers Field in the western city of Incheon, April 7. Courtesy of SSG Landers
His self-criticism notwithstanding, Choi is still putting up the kind of numbers that many others would love to have. He is fifth in the league in home runs this year and has played the fewest games among the top 10 players in that category. He is also batting .311, nine years removed from his most recent .300 season. He is second in the KBO in on-base plus slugging (OPS) with 1.023. Choi and Austin Dean of the LG Twins, the league leader in OPS at 1.092, are the only two players with at least a .300 batting average, a .400 on-base percentage and a .600 slugging percentage.
As for being a home run away from a record, Choi said, "It feels pretty surreal."
"I am just lucky that I have been able to post these numbers," he added. "I will keep trying to do my best in each and every trip to the plate."