San Diego Padres outfielder Ha-Sung Kim (29) explains why Fernando Tatis Jr. (25) ate dumpling soup during his visit to Seoul.
San Diego hosted the Los Angeles Dodgers for a season-opening two-game series at Gocheok SkyDome in Seoul on April 20 and 21 (KST). The Seoul series was the first major league regular season game ever played in South Korea. It was also the season opener. With the Seoul Series, South Korea became the 12th country to host a Major League Baseball game. Seoul is the fifth time in history that a Major League Baseball regular season opener has been held overseas, joining Monterrey, Mexico; Tokyo, Japan; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Sydney, Australia.
San Diego’s and the Dodgers’ visits have excited Korean baseball fans, most notably San Diego superstar Fernando Tatis Jr. who shared a photo on social media of himself eating dumplings at Gwangjang Market shortly after arriving in Korea on March 15.
Tatis Jr. is a San Diego signature player who has a career batting average of .288 (1644-for-461) with 109 home runs, 278 RBIs, 307 runs scored, 83 doubles, and an OPS of .898 in 423 major league games. He signed a 14-year, 스포츠토토 $340 million contract with San Diego in February 2021. In South Korea, he is the son of Fernando Tatis, who hit two one-inning home runs against Chan Ho Park. He is also close friends with fellow Korean player Kim Ha-seong, who plays for the San Diego Padres.
On April 24, 1999,
Park took the loss against St. Louis, allowing 11 runs (six earned) on eight hits (three homers), three walks, one hit batter, and two strikeouts in 2⅔ innings. He pitched the first two innings without allowing a run, but the third inning was a disaster. In the chaos that followed the ejection of manager Davey Johnson, Chan Ho Park gave up a two-run homer to Fernando Tatis. It’s a feat that has only happened once in Major League Baseball history.
Tatis Jr. is aware of his father’s record. On the anniversary of Fernando Tatis’s two home runs in one inning, Tatis Jr. would share a video of the game on social media. But when Tatis Jr. shared a photo of himself eating dumpling soup in South Korea, fans wondered if he knew the popular Korean phrase “hanmandu” (short for “two home runs in one inning”).
In an interview, Tatis Jr. explained why he ate the dumpling soup at Gwangjang Market, saying that Kim Ha-seong told him that if he ate two dumplings at Gwangjang Market, he would be able to hit two grand slams. He actually ate dumpling soup because he understood the meaning of ‘hanmandu’. In response to Tatis Jr.’s answer, Kim said, “I watched Tatis’ video. He said I told him to eat dumplings, but that’s not true,” Kim laughed.
“Park Chan-ho helped me a lot during the Seoul Series,”
Kim said, adding, “He took great care of us, 바카라사이트 추천 finding restaurants for us to go to and other things. He invited us to youth clinics, and he often came to our spring training workouts,” Kim said, explaining that Chan Ho Park supported San Diego during the Seoul Series. Park is now a special advisor to San Diego.
“Our players know who he is,” Kim said, “and when I went to Korea, because Tatis and I are close, Tatis’ dad told me that the pitcher who hit two grand slams was Chan Ho Park, but in Korea, it’s short for two grand slams in one inning. They didn’t tell me that you can hit home runs by eating dumplings,” he said.
In 428 career major league games, Kim is 24-for-55 (332-for-1,355) with 37 home runs, 157 RBI, 173 runs scored, 59 doubles, and a .708 OPS. He has been a key player for San Diego this season as the team’s starting shortstop. In the clubhouse, Kim shares a locker next to Tatis Jr. The relationship between Kim and Tatis Jr. is strong. Fans are eager to see what the two will do this season, especially after their hilarious visit to Korea.