Red-Hot Giants Outfielder Makes MLB History

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Red-Hot Giants Outfielder Makes MLB History

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Michael Sakuraba | Last updated Jun 10, 2026 8:01 PM ET

In a season that can only be described as a disappointment, the San Francisco Giants have found a silver lining: Jung Hoo Lee.

The South Korean outfielder signed a massive six-year, $113 million contract in 2024 and was seen as a cornerstone of the team's rebuild. But Lee lost most of his first season in the Bay Area to injuries, suiting up in just 37 games. Last year, Lee was back to full health and took a major step forward, playing in 150 games. He posted a .735 OPS with 149 hits and 55 RBI.

In his third year in San Francisco, Lee is finally living up to the lofty expectations that came with signing the largest MLB contract for a Korean player in league history. In 60 games, Lee is slashing .338/.372/.457 with a .829 OPS, 79 hits, including 20 extra-base hits. Three months into the season, and the baseball world is watching Lee turn into a legitimate star.

The longest hit streak by a Korean player in @MLB history gets even longer

Make it 18 for Jung Hoo Lee pic.twitter.com/f8ROrZHwaz
— SFGiants (@SFGiants) June 10, 2026

While his season-long stats are impressive, it is what Lee has accomplished over the past 18 games that is truly record-breaking. On Wednesday, Lee extended his hitting streak to 18 games, the longest in MLB history for a Korean player. The previous record was shared by the now-retired Shin Soo Choo, who had a 16-game hitting streak in 2013, and Ha-seong Kim, who matched that streak in 2023. It is also the longest hitting streak by a San Francisco Giants player since Angel Pagan's 19 games in 2016.

Over that 18-game hitting streak, Lee has been one of the best hitters in baseball. He's batting over .500, with 10 RBI, 17 runs scored, and nine multi-hit games. Perhaps most impressive is that during that span, Lee has only struck out three times. Lee's .338 batting average is now second in the major leagues behind Miami's Otto Lopez (.340).

Jung Hoo Lee lined a single to right to extend his hitting streak to 18 games. That's the longest by a Giant since Angel Pagan reached 19 games in 2016.
— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) June 10, 2026

With MLB All-Star game voting underway, Lee seems like a lock to be the Giants' representative this year. But with the Giants currently in the basement of the National League, Lee's name has already popped up in trade rumors. Contenders will certainly be interested in Lee's services, although his hefty contract could prove to be a challenging one to move. With the Giants in rebuild mode, at age 27, Lee should be thought of as one of the long-term pillars to build around for the organization.

For now, Lee has cemented himself in MLB history and is showing no signs of slowing down. Lee's next chance to extend his hitting streak comes on Friday, when the Giants open a series at home against the visiting Chicago Cubs.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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