Professional baseball player Choi Jung (38) of the SSG Landers hit back-to-back home runs, improving his hitting form.

Choi started as the designated hitter batting third in a spring training game against the Kiwoom Heroes in the 2025 Shinhan Bank SOL Bank KBO League held at Incheon SSG Landers Field on the 14th, recording 2 hits out of 3 at-bats, 1 home run, 2 RBIs, and 2 runs scored.

In the bottom of the first inning with one out and a runner on second base, Choi entered his first at-bat and hit a two-run home run over the left field wall off Kiwoom's right-handed starting pitcher Kim Seo-jun's fourth pitch, a slider thrown at 131 km/h. He did not miss the slider that was a middle-of-the-plate mistake pitch. The distance of the hit was 115 meters. This marked his second consecutive home run following the two-run home run in the eighth inning against Kiwoom on the 13th.

Choi, who struck out in his second at-bat in the third inning, got a hit against right-handed relief pitcher Jeon Jun-pyo in the fifth inning during his third at-bat with two outs. In the subsequent at-bat with two outs and the bases loaded, he scored on Oh Tae-gon's two-RBI single. Thanks to Choi's performance, SSG won 5-3 and broke a four-game losing streak.

Choi has a career batting average of .2888 over 2,293 KBO League games (7,892 at-bats, 2,269 hits), with 495 home runs, 1,561 RBIs, 1,461 runs scored, and 178 stolen bases, making him one of the league's top home run hitters. He is just 5 home runs away from becoming the first player in Korea Professional Baseball history to achieve 500 home runs.

In the previous season, he showcased his consistent skills with a batting average of .291 in 129 games (468 at-bats, 136 hits), 37 home runs, 107 RBIs, 93 runs scored, and 5 stolen bases, resulting in an OPS of .978. After the season, he gained his third free agent status and signed a contract worth a total of 11 billion won, setting a new record for cumulative free agent earnings (30.2 billion won). In the first year of his third free agent contract, Choi began his season preparations at a Futures Camp in Kagoshima, Japan, rather than in Vero Beach, Florida, where the first spring camp for veteran players was being held. Joining the first-team squad at the Okinawa camp in Japan, Choi had recorded no hits in 12 at-bats during the spring training before the game on the 13th, showing a lack of hitting form.

Choi, who was on a streak of 14 consecutive at-bats without a hit in spring training, began to find his rhythm in earnest during the game against Kiwoom on the 13th. In the eighth inning, with SSG trailing 4-7 and no outs and a runner on first base, he came in as a pinch hitter and hit a two-run home run over the left-center wall off right-handed relief pitcher Won Jong-hyun's sixth pitch, a 144 km/h fastball. He followed this up by hitting back-to-back home runs in the game and recording a multi-hit game, displaying peak hitting form.

After the game, Choi said, "Yesterday, I corrected some details with hitting coach Kang Byeong-sik during practice. I felt like it was gradually coming together, as I had been practicing consistently. Hitting home runs for two consecutive days has been refreshing."

Regarding his home run hit as a pinch hitter on the 13th, Choi noted, "I told Manager Lee Seung-yong that I would take an at-bat as a pinch hitter in the second half of the previous game. I had been practicing consistently before the game, and I hit a home run." He added, "I am happy that I’m hitting home runs. Not just me, but all the players have been preparing well since spring camp. With not much time left in spring training, I want to finish without injuries and be ready for the season opener. I ask the fans for their continued support."

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