Comments from Lee Soon-chul regarding Kim Do-yeong’s pursuit of 40 home runs and his decisions about stolen bases became a topic of discussion on September 2. According to an MHN Sports report, Lee Soon-chul conveyed advice to the effect that Kim should not expend his batting skills on baserunning. This has not been confirmed as a conflict or controversy between the player and the commentator.
Key Development
Kim Do-yeong’s current official record is 39 home runs and 8 stolen bases in the 2026 season. On the KBO’s official player rankings, Kim Do-yeong is listed first in home runs.
Lee Soon-chul’s advice is best understood as focusing on Kim’s pursuit of 40 home runs and preserving his batting ability, rather than on stolen bases themselves.
The central issue is not whether Kim Do-yeong will steal bases, but how to balance baserunning and batting during his pursuit of 40 home runs—a senior commentator’s advice on making that choice.
Current Status
Kim Do-yeong hit his 38th home run of the season against the Kiwoom Heroes on August 23, 2026, tying his own single-season home run record from 2024. KBO’s official records subsequently listed him with 39 home runs as of September 2.
His cumulative 2026 season statistics shown in the official KBO player records are as follows:
- 116 games
- .303 batting average
- 39 home runs
- 98 RBIs
- 99 runs scored
- 8 stolen bases
Yonhap News reported that Kim Do-yeong was born on October 2, 2003, and could break Lee Seung-yuop’s record as the youngest player in KBO League history to hit 40 home runs if he adds two more home runs by October 6, 2026.
Impact
Based on the current record alone, Kim Do-yeong is one home run away from reaching 40. He also has 8 stolen bases, so Lee Soon-chul’s remarks are being interpreted as advice about how to weigh baserunning against batting during the 40-home-run pursuit.
However, it cannot be stated definitively that the advice will determine Kim Do-yeong’s future baserunning or batting results. Official records may change as games are played, so these figures should be understood as of the verification time.
Next Checkpoint
Kim Do-yeong’s pursuit of his 40th home run can be checked again in the next official game results. The statistical context indicates that adding two home runs by October 6, 2026, could allow him to break the record for the youngest player to reach 40 home runs.
When reviewing this report alongside the official records, it is important to distinguish the 38-home-run mark recorded on August 23 from the 39 home runs accumulated in the KBO records as of September 2.