"I'm not Kim Do-young, so please lower the expectations a bit."

Why did Heo Kyung-min, the new starting third baseman for the professional baseball team KT Wiz, ask manager Lee Kang-chul to lower the expectations for him?

On the 25th, Heo Kyung-min started as the third hitter in the first matchup against the Doosan Bears at Suwon KT Wiz Park in the 2025 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League, achieving 2 hits in 5 at-bats (1 home run), 1 RBI, and 1 run scored, leading his team to an 8-3 victory.

After striking out swinging in the first inning and grounding out to first base in the third inning to warm up his bat, Heo Kyung-min hit his first home run since joining the team in the fifth inning with 2 outs and no runners on, scoring his first home run after the transfer during a tightly contested 3-3 game. With a ball count of 1B-1S, he connected with a 135 km slider thrown to the middle by his former teammate Kim Ho-jun, resulting in a decisive home run that traveled 115 meters to the left. It was a moment that plunged a dagger into the team he had been with for 16 years until last year.

Heo Kyung-min recorded a left single against Park Shin-ji in the sixth inning with 2 outs while leading 8-3, achieving multi-hits in consecutive games since the opening. Despite showcasing excellent hitting in the opening series against the Hanwha Eagles, his batting average dropped from .500 to .467 with his performance of 2 hits in 5 at-bats on that day.

When asked about his feelings after hitting the decisive home run against his former team, Heo Kyung-min said, "I'm not a player who hits many home runs, so I just tried to hit at a good timing and fortunately, the timing matched well," adding, "Kim Ho-jun's two-seam was really good. The second pitch was also great, so I had to make a choice, but I anticipated the breaking ball, and fortunately, a good pitch came in."

Heo Kyung-min appeared to be more concerned about the defensive error he made in the first inning than the joy of achieving the decisive home run. After catching a ground ball from Kang Seung-ho with 2 outs in the first inning, he made a throwing error to first base, saying, "I tried to act like it was nothing facing my old team, but I made a mistake in the first inning. Since I made a mistake in an area where I need to do well, this part weighs on my mind, and I will work on reducing such mistakes in the future."

During the game, a playful moment was caught when his former teammate Yang Eui-ji jokingly grabbed Heo Kyung-min by the collar. When asked about it, Heo Kyung-min laughed, stating, "Actually, I wanted to say hi to Yang Eui-ji in my first at-bat, but he didn't talk to me until my second at-bat. Even when he grabbed my collar, there were no words." He explained that Yang Eui-ji's silence was his own way of showing respect to his junior.

As previously mentioned, after leaving Doosan, Heo Kyung-min became a KT man with a total contract of 4 billion won for four years. His performance in the first three games of the season reached a batting average of .467 (7 hits in 15 at-bats), 1 home run, 2 RBIs, and 2 runs scored, with an OPS of 1.134. Starting with 3 hits in 5 at-bats in the opening game against Hanwha, followed by 2 hits in 5 at-bats, 1 RBI, and 1 run in the 23rd against Hanwha, and 2 hits in 5 at-bats, 1 home run, 1 RBI, and 1 run in the 25th against Doosan, he has consistently delivered outstanding performances. His defense at third base was also stable, with the throwing error in the first inning being his only mistake that day.

When asked about his recent condition, Heo Kyung-min stated, "It is a bit chilly, but I don’t have any particular pains." He added, "In baseball, not all nine can do well. There may be times when I don't perform well, but since KT has so many great players, if someone can cover for another's slump, I think KT will win more and be in a higher position."

Heo Kyung-min waved his hands away in response to manager Lee Kang-chul's praise that "the effect of Heo Kyung-min's signing is significant in both offense and defense." Heo Kyung-min said, "I'm feeling pressured by too much praise. I'm not the kind of player like Kim Do-young (KIA Tigers), so I would like the expectations to be lowered a bit. I think it will help me to play better in the future," he said while smiling.

After the game, Heo Kyung-min left an impression of having perfectly adapted to his new team as he observed his juniors spraying water without hesitation during a broadcast interview.

Heo Kyung-min expressed his gratitude, saying, "I was very grateful that my juniors sprayed water for me. I was surprised to see how hard my juniors are working and how polite they are. During my time here, I want to provide all the help I can to those players. I’m happy that they unexpectedly sprayed water for me."

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