▲ San Francisco Giants' Jung Hoo Lee
San Francisco Giants starting outfielder Jung Hoo Lee, who had been competing for the batting title, has seen his batting average drop below .300.
Playing as the sixth-hitter and right fielder in a home game against the Los Angeles Angels in the 2026 Major League Baseball (MLB) season at Oracle Park in San Francisco, California, on July 25 (KST), Lee went hitless in four at-bats.
His season batting average fell from .302 to .299 (107 hits in 358 at-bats).
This marks the first time since May 31 that Lee's batting average has dropped below .300.
He had previously competed for the top spot in overall MLB batting average, recording a .338 average through June 11, but his hitting stats declined as he subsequently went through a slump.
His batting average ranking slipped to 9th overall in the MLB.
In the National League (NL), he is ranked 7th.
Leading off the bottom of the second inning with a 2-1 lead, Lee flied out to the shortstop against Angels right-handed starting pitcher Grayson Rodriguez. He then grounded out to the shortstop with two outs in the bottom of the third inning, with his team ahead 5-1.
In the bottom of the sixth with one out, he grounded out to first base, and in the final offensive push in the bottom of the ninth tied 3-3, he was retired on a grounder to second base.
San Francisco secured a 7-6 victory thanks to Rafael Devers' walk-off RBI single to left field in the bottom of the 10th inning during the tiebreaker.
San Diego Padres infielder Song Sung-mun started as the ninth-hitter and third baseman in an away game against the Miami Marlins at Marlins Park in Miami, Florida, recording no hits in two at-bats with one walk.
After failing to reach base for three consecutive games following a three-hit performance against the Kansas City Royals on July 20, Song got his engine running again.
His season batting average dropped from .226 to .221 (21 hits in 95 at-bats).
Trailing 0-1 in the top of the third with one out, Song struck out swinging against Miami right-handed starting pitcher Ryan Gusto. In the top of the fifth with a 1-1 tie and a runner on first with no outs, he laid down a sacrifice bunt to lay the groundwork for a comeback.
Tied 2-2 in the top of the seventh with one out, he flied out to right field.
He reached base during the top of the eighth inning while leading 4-2.
With two outs and a runner on first, facing left-handed relief pitcher John King in a 3-ball, 1-strike count, he laid off a high sinking fastball and walked to first base.
It did not lead to a run.
San Diego came from behind to win 4-2, propelled by Luis Rengifo's two-run home run to right field in the eighth inning.
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
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