For the Lotte Giants, the 2026 KBO season has brought both renewed hope and a few nagging questions, all swirling around the talented but currently homerless cleanup hitter Han Dong-hee. On April 18, 2026, at Busan Sajik Stadium, manager Kim Tae-hyung addressed the media with a candid assessment of Han’s early-season performance just before the Giants faced off against the Hanwha Eagles. The expectation was clear: Han Dong-hee, fresh off a dominant stint with Sangmu in the Futures League, was supposed to be the team’s next great power hitter. Yet, a dozen games in, the home runs have yet to materialize.
Han Dong-hee’s journey back to the Giants has been closely watched by fans and coaches alike. After completing his military service with a bang—posting a jaw-dropping .400 average, 27 home runs, 115 RBIs, and an OPS of 1.155 in the 2025 Futures League—Han returned to Lotte with sky-high expectations. Upon his discharge, he even promised Kim Tae-hyung that he’d hit 30 home runs this year. So far, though, the numbers tell a more complicated story: through 12 games, Han is batting .286 (14 hits in 49 at-bats), with three doubles, four RBIs, and not a single home run. His slugging percentage sits at .347, and his OPS is .674—solid, but hardly the thunderous start many had hoped for from the man tabbed as the successor to Lee Dae-ho.
Manager Kim Tae-hyung hasn’t shied away from discussing Han’s struggles, especially when it comes to generating power. “It all hits the back of the bat,” Kim explained, demonstrating Han’s current hitting posture. “It’s a sensitive thing to talk to a player about. I’ve mentioned it, but it’s not easy to fix. The ball just doesn’t fly to the left side.” Kim noted that even when Han manages to lift the ball, it tends to drift to right field, a pattern at odds with the classic pull-power profile expected of a home run hitter. “The hitting point is too far back. It’s not that he’s intentionally pushing the ball, but what good is it if a power hitter keeps pushing?” Kim added, his concern evident.
The numbers back up Kim’s diagnosis. Han’s ground ball to fly ball ratio stands at 1.89, meaning he’s hitting nearly twice as many grounders as fly balls. That’s a red flag for anyone hoping to see more balls leave the park. “For a hitter to produce power, the hitting point needs to be out front,” Kim emphasized, urging Han to make the necessary adjustments at the plate.
Despite the lack of long balls, Han has shown flashes of his potential. His contact skills remain solid, and he’s continued to rack up hits, even as his slugging lags behind. Kim Tae-hyung has repeatedly entrusted Han with the cleanup role, slotting him into the heart of the order for the April 18 game against Hanwha. The starting lineup featured Reyes in left, Noh Jin-hyuk at first, Yoon Dong-hee in right, Han at third, Jeon Jun-woo as the designated hitter, Son Ho-young in center, Han Tae-yang at second, Son Seong-bin behind the plate, and Jeon Min-jae at shortstop. Jeremy Beasley took the mound as the starting pitcher, rounding out a lineup that, on paper, has the firepower to compete with anyone in the league.
Han’s role at third base has become even more crucial in light of recent roster developments. The first base position is crowded, with four players vying for time, and a 30-game suspension to Na Seung-yeop has forced the Giants to shuffle their infield. Han, who split time between first and third during spring camp, is now the regular third baseman—a move that manager Kim Tae-hyung sees as essential. “If Han Dong-hee can’t play third, we’re overloaded at first,” Kim said. “He’s doing better than I expected defensively. His range is good, and his throws are solid. He’s making it easier for us on that side of the diamond.”
Han’s defensive improvement has not gone unnoticed. On April 15, during a game against LG at Jamsil Stadium, he made a highlight-reel play, diving to stop a hard-hit grounder and attempting a throw from the ground. While it didn’t result in an out, it impressed both the coaching staff and fans. “He caught it well, but getting up was tough,” Kim joked, before turning serious: “He’s playing much better defense than I expected. If he keeps this up, there’s no need to move him off third.”
Still, the Giants and their supporters are waiting for Han’s bat to heat up, especially in clutch situations. His batting average with runners in scoring position has dipped, and the overall offensive output from the heart of the order has cooled after a promising start to the season. Kim remains optimistic that Han will turn things around at the plate. “He’s making good contact and following breaking balls well,” the manager noted. “But as a home run hitter, he needs to drive the ball more to left-center. If he does that, he’ll be even more dangerous as our cleanup hitter.”
Han’s power potential is not in doubt, given his Futures League exploits and his 48 home runs over three KBO seasons from 2020 to 2022 (with a career-high OPS of .807 during that stretch). The challenge now is translating that minor league dominance into major league production. Some observers have pointed out that Han’s swing mechanics might be the culprit, with his bat lagging behind and his approach leading to more opposite-field contact than intended. Kim Tae-hyung, for his part, is confident that Han’s performance will "gradually improve."
As the Giants look to climb the standings in a tight KBO race—where, as of April 19, the top teams are separated by just a few games—Han Dong-hee’s resurgence at the plate could be the spark they need. With a defense that’s already earning praise and a manager who continues to show faith, the stage is set for Han to deliver on his preseason promise. Whether the home runs come in bunches or arrive slowly, all eyes in Busan will be watching the Giants’ cleanup hitter, hoping that his next swing finally sends one flying over the fence.