Lions slugger Diaz closing in on KBO home run, RBI records by foreign player

Samsung Lions slugger Lewin Diaz is nearing records for most home runs and RBIs in a season by a foreign player in South Korean baseball. Through the weekend's action, Diaz was leading the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) with 46 home runs and 135 RBIs. The Dominican first baseman has played all 133 games so far this season, and the Lions have 11 games remaining. Diaz is three homers away from setting the single-season home run record by a foreign hitter. Ex-Lions second baseman Yamaico Navarro owns the record with 48 homers from 2015. Beyond Navarro's record, Diaz is also trying to become the first foreign player, and fourth player in KBO history overall, to hit 50 home runs in a season. Another ex-Lions star, Lee Seung-yuop, holds the single-season mark with 56 home runs from 2003. He also launched 54 homers in 1999. Also in 2003, Shim Chong-soo of the Hyundai Unicorns had 53 home runs. Diaz's Lions teammate, Park Byung-ho, put up 52 and then 53 homers in 2014 and 2015 while playing for the Nexen Heroes. Former NC Dinos slugger Eric Thames holds the RBI record by a foreign player with 1Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times