4 Hits and a Defensive Masterclass: Lee Jung-hoo’s Epic MLB Return

Daniel Kim 2026.05.31 Views

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[MyDaily = Reporter Kim Jin-seong] Lee Jeong-hoo (28, San Francisco Giants) made a strong return to the big leagues, delivering a standout performance on both offense and defense.

On May 30 (KST), the Giants dropped the opener of a three-game weekend series at Coors Field, falling 6-8 to the Colorado Rockies in Denver. San Francisco fell to 22-35 while Colorado sits at 21-39; both clubs occupy fourth and fifth place in the National League West.

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Lee had been on the injured list for 10 days with a lower-back muscle strain after the May 19 game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Returned to the lineup as the starting right fielder and No. 6 hitter, he finished 4-for-5 with two runs scored, raising his season average to .283.

His first plate appearance came in a scoreless top of the second with no one on. Facing Rockies right-hander Michael Lorenzen, Lee worked a full count and pulled a low 85.1-mph curveball but was retired on a groundout to first. Colorado struck first in the bottom of the second when a throwing error by Giants second baseman Luis Arraez allowed a run to score with two outs and runners at the corners.

The Giants answered in the top of the third when Willie Adames hit a sac fly to center to tie the game. In the fourth, with one out and a runner on first, Lee recorded his first hit back from the IL, lacing an outside, low slider from Lorenzen into right for a single. With runners at first and third, Daniel Susac’s sacrifice fly to center gave San Francisco the lead.

Lee later scored after reaching second on a Bryce Aldridge walk and coming home on Harrison Bader’s RBI single to right. In the bottom of the fourth, he made a heads-up defensive play with two outs and a runner on second: Kyle Caros’s ball looked destined to clear the keys, but Lee tracked the flight, made the catch, and used the outfield wall to regain his balance—showing he’d already gauged the landing spot and the fence.

That play was a prelude to an even more spectacular grab in the fifth. After ace Logan Webb exited in a jam, Troy Johnston ripped a ball that looked like it might split the gap. Lee dropped into a near-fall, an excellent read on the low trajectory, then slid to secure the catch and end the inning. Johnston, visibly frustrated, threw his helmet in the dugout.

Lee followed his defensive highlights with another hit, leading off the sixth with a single to center off lefty Wellington Hiura on a 94.1-mph fastball. He didn’t score as the rally stalled, but the hits kept coming.

Leading off the eighth with the Giants up 3-1, Lee faced right-hander Keegan Thompson and, on a 1-2 count, turned on a low 92.9-mph four-seamer for a double into left. A Daniel Susac sacrifice bunt moved him to third, and Aldridge’s sacrifice fly to center brought him home.

Colorado answered in the bottom of the eighth when Ezequiel Tovar crushed a two-run homer to center. In the top of the ninth, Rafael Devers delivered an RBI triple to right and Chapman followed with an RBI single to right to push the lead back out.

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With two outs and a runner on in the ninth, Lee came up again and completed a four-hit night, attacking Juan Mejia’s first-pitch sweeper up the middle for a single to right. It was his second four-hit game this season, his first since April 27 against the Miami Marlins. He didn’t score on that at-bat, but it marked a near-perfect return to action.

Colorado wasn’t finished. In the bottom of the ninth, Hunter Goodman launched a game-tying three-run homer to left. Then, with two outs and a runner on first, Ezequiel Tovar hit a walk-off two-run homer to left to end the game.