‘막상막하’ 구자욱·레이예스·최원준…생애 첫 타격왕 경쟁

In the final stretch of the 2026 KBO League, a fierce battle for the batting title is underway among four players. Samsung Lion's 구자욱 (0.357), Lotte Whale's 빅터 레이예스 (0.354), KT Wiz's 최원준 (0.351), and SSG Rainers' 박성한 (0.345) are all neck and neck in the competition. The leaders' performance can change day by day depending on their condition, making it unpredictable.

Currently, 구자욱 is leading the charge, as his batting average was 0.343 during a crucial period, ultimately rising to the top spot. His impact is so significant that fans say, "구자욱이 치면 팀이 이긴다" (When 구자욱 hits, the team wins).

레이예스 has also been on fire in recent games. During a doubleheader against NC Dinos, he hit 9 hits and drove in 6 runs, boosting his batting average to 0.419 (43 hits, 18 runs) over 10 games. 레이예스' consistency is a key factor, as he set the single-season record for the most hits in 2024 (202 hits) and aims to repeat as the leader in 2025 (187 hits). 최원준 finished the regular season with a 0.310 batting average, but showed improvement in the second half with a 0.339 average over 3 consecutive games, including a notable 15 hits and 10 runs in a 3-game stretch.

He leads in runs scored (86) and on-base percentage (0.427), putting him in contention for a fourth batting title. Rookie 박성한, once considered a daunting opponent, has also returned to form recently. After a sluggish start, his batting average rose to 0.528 (36 hits, 19 runs) over his last 10 games. With his excellent contact skills (base on balls: 71) and on-base percentage (0.442) currently leading the league, the competition for the first batting title remains exciting.