CHICAGO — Just a month ago, his batting average sat at a disappointing .265.
John Foo Lee is currently in a relationship with Willie Mays and Buster Posey.
No Giants player has hit more than Lee’s 27 consecutive hits over 14 games since Posey. To find someone who accomplished more, you’d have to look back to Mays in 1958. Lee has remarkably knocked in 22 runs in just nine games after his return from the injured list.
So, what’s the key to his success at the plate? Surprisingly, it appears to be about not shaking things up too much.
“While I was on the IL, I didn’t just sit around,” Lee explained, using team interpreter Justin Han. “I went to the batting cage and I just stood there.”
Though sidelined for only about ten days due to a minor lower back strain, he took full advantage of his time away. Unable to swing, he worked with a Trajekt pitching machine designed to mimic any major league pitcher’s throw.
His translator, Han, operated the machine.
“I wasn’t actually swinging, but I felt the pitches from Trajekt, which helped a lot,” Lee shared. “I stood there while [Han] tossed random pitches. Our only job was to communicate about whether they were strikes or balls.”
Since returning, Lee’s performance has skyrocketed, achieving 22 hits in 37 at-bats for a .595 average.
With two additional hits in Saturday’s game, his average climbed to .324, putting him in a tie with Luis Arraez among the top five eligible hitters in the league. In the Giants’ 3-2 overtime loss to the Cubs, he was one of only three players to contribute to the hit column.
Manager Tony Vitello summarized it well, attributing Lee’s success to “Jonghoo being Jonghoo.”
“I know Ichiro is his hero,” Vitello noted. “There’s a rhythm to his batting style that aligns with what many expect from Asian players; a more pronounced forward motion. But Ichiro always maintained that connection with the pitcher. I think Lee is a solid hitter. It often comes down to mental factors, yet I see him staying in line better.”
Prior to joining MLB, Lee had already established himself as a top hitter in Korea, boasting a career average of .340 over seven seasons. However, in his first two years with the Giants, he posted just a .265 average.
As for aspirations, he’s not rushing into thoughts about winning an MLB batting title.
“I’m trying not to look too far ahead. Right now, it’s about being consistent at the plate and seeing where I end up by season’s close.”
