Leading MVP candidate tops KBO in 5 major hitting categories

Kiwoom Heroes outfielder Lee Jung-hoo has bolstered his already strong MVP case by leading the top South Korean baseball league in five major offensive categories. The 2022 Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) regular season drew to a conclusion Tuesday night with a makeup game between the KT Wiz and the LG Twins. Lee and the Heroes had finished their campaign Saturday, and the 24-year-old outfielder had locked down some individual trophies before the last game of the season. Lee won his second str

Oct. 12, 2022

S. Korean MLB contingent wraps up disappointing regular season; 2 players headed to postseason

A largely disappointing regular season for South Korean players in Major League Baseball (MLB) drew to a conclusion across the United States on Wednesday, with two of five Koreans who saw action this year moving on to the postseason. One of them, San Diego Padres shortstop Kim Ha-seong, was the best of the South Korean bunch in 2022. In his second big league season, Kim established himself as a strong defender at a premium position while also showing improvements at the plate. Kim finished with

Oct. 6, 2022

SSG Landers clinch KBO regular season title

The SSG Landers captured the South Korean baseball regular season title without even playing on Tuesday, becoming the first team in league history to go wire to wire for the direct ticket to the championship series. The Landers, at 88-49-4 (wins-losses-ties), locked down first place in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), after second-place LG Twins suffered an 8-3 loss to the Kia Tigers on Tuesday night in Seoul. The Landers, who didn't have a game Tuesday but will return to action Wedne

Oct. 4, 2022

Padres' Kim Ha-seong set for 1st MLB postseason appearance

For the first time in his major league career, the San Diego Padres' South Korean infielder Kim Ha-seong will play in the postseason this month. The Padres lost to the Chicago White Sox 2-1 at Petco Park in San Diego on Sunday (local time). However, with the Milwaukee Brewers losing to the Miami Marlins 4-3 on the same day, the Padres secured one of three Wild Card berths in the National League (NL). The Padres, at 87-72, are currently holding down the second Wild Card spot, 11.5 games behi

Oct. 3, 2022

Retired KBO legends enjoying life after baseball

INCHEON-- Five years removed from his last game in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), former Samsung Lions slugger Lee Seung-yuop is getting his competitive juice flowing in different ways these days. When he is not analyzing KBO games in the broadcast booth, Lee is acting as a manager for a team on a popular baseball reality show, leading a team of retired players against high school and college stars. "We don't want to take it easy on anyone. I keep telling guys that we have to t

Sept. 18, 2022

Rays' Choi Ji-man hits 1st homer in 10 games

Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Choi Ji-man has gone deep for the first time in September. Choi hit a solo homer against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre in Toronto on Tuesday (local time), giving his team a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning. The Blue Jays, though, rallied for a 7-2 victory for a split of the day-night doubleheaders between the American League East rivals. Choi drove a hanging slider from Toronto starter Alek Manoah and sent it into the upper deck in the right field. It

Sept. 14, 2022

Pirates' Park Hoy-jun sent to minors after one plate appearance

After just one plate appearance off the bench, Pittsburgh Pirates utility player Park Hoy-jun is headed back to the minors. The Pirates optioned the South Korean to Triple-A Indianapolis on Monday (U.S. time), prior to their road game against the Cincinnati Reds. The Bucs called up Park from the minor league last Wednesday before a doubleheader against the New York Mets, and he came off the bench as a defensive replacement at second base in the top of the eighth of the second game. Park made his

Sept. 13, 2022

Right-handed sluggers added to KBO's 40th anniversary team

Four right-handed slugging legends in South Korean baseball were introduced on Monday as the latest members of the commemorative team marking the 40th anniversary of professional baseball in the country. Since mid-July, the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) has been announcing four new members each week to its "40 Legends" team. The new entries are: former shortstop/first baseman Jang Jong-hoon, ex-third baseman Kim Dong-joo, former outfielder Shim Chong-soo and former first baseman Ty

Sept. 12, 2022

Quartet of left-handed legends named to KBO anniversary team

Four of South Korean baseball's greatest left-handed hitters were unveiled as the latest members of the commemorative team marking the 40th anniversary of professional baseball in the country Monday. The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) has been announcing four new members each week to its "40 Legends" team. The new entries are former outfielders Yang Joon-hyuk, Park Yong-taik and Lee Byung-kyu, and ex-first baseman Kim Ki-tai. Yang, seventh in the voting by experts and fans, is

Sept. 5, 2022

Scrappy outfielders, infielders join KBO's 40th anniversary team

Speedy outfielders and slick-fielding infielders became the latest members of the commemorative team marking the 40th anniversary of professional baseball in South Korea on Monday. Since July, the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) has been revealing four new members for its 40 Legends team. The new quartet comprises: former outfielder Jeon Jun-ho, another ex-outfielder Lee Soon-chul, former second baseman Jeong Keun-woo and former shortstop Park Jin-man. Jeon, 34th in the voting by a panel of ex

Aug. 29, 2022

Reeling Heroes trying to hold on to 3rd place in KBO

On July 10, the Kiwoom Heroes, thanks to a three-game winning streak, sat only 2.5 games behind the SSG Landers for first place in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO). The Landers had been at the top of the standings since the start of the season, but the Heroes were making a hard push. Their record stood at 54-30-1 (wins-losses-ties). Fast forward to Tuesday, as the Heroes enter a new week of action in third place, now 13.5 games back of the Landers. The Heroes have gone 7-18-1 since July 10

Aug. 23, 2022

Looking to join MLB club, high school pitching prospect skips KBO draft

In a bid to sign with a major league club, South Korean high school pitching prospect Shim Jun-seok has decided to skip the annual rookie draft in the South Korean league. The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) announced Wednesday that Shim, the third-year right-hander for Duksoo High School in Seoul, did not register for the Sept. 15 draft. The deadline to enter the draft was midnight Tuesday. Shim, 18, has been a highly-touted prospect since his freshman year in 2020, when he went 4-1 in eight

Aug. 17, 2022

KBO-leading Landers remain on course for history after productive week

The SSG Landers, fresh off yet another productive week, are in the midst of a potentially historic season in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO). On Saturday, they became the first team to reach the 70-win mark this year by beating the Doosan Bears 8-2. The next day, they edged out the Bears 5-4 in extra innings, thanks to Choi Jeong's go-ahead solo home run in the top of the 10th. With five wins in their past six games, the Landers' record now stands at 71-31-3 (wins-losses-ties), 9

Aug. 16, 2022

Dinos sign new pitcher Matt Dermody amid late-season push

In the midst of their second-half surge, the NC Dinos announced Thursday they've acquired new American pitcher Matt Dermody. Dermody will make $220,000 for the rest of the ongoing Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) season, including a $40,000 signing bonus. Dermody, with 30 big league games to his credit, will replace Wes Parsons, who was released last week after posting a 1-2 record with a 3.56 ERA in eight starts. Parsons had not pitched since May 14 with a back injury. Dermody, a 32-year-

Aug. 11, 2022

Defending KBO champions Wiz making noise as season enters late stretch

The SSG Landers remain so far ahead of the pack in South Korean baseball this year that other contenders are essentially playing for second place. The defending Korean Series champions KT Wiz have entered the chat. The Landers hold an eight-game lead over the LG Twins with 44 games left in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) season. Barring a collapse of epic proportions, the Landers should be able to claim the regular season crown. The Twins and the Kiwoom Heroes kept trading places all last

Aug. 8, 2022

Padres' Kim Ha-seong falls homer short of cycle in 4-hit game

Few players in baseball are as hot as Kim Ha-seong right now. The South Korean infielder for the San Diego Padres enjoyed his first career four-hit game against the Colorado Rockies at Petco Park in San Diego on Tuesday (local time), going 4-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored in a 13-5 victory. It was the first game of a doubleheader, Kim fell a home run shy of a cycle, as he had two singles, a double and a triple. Former Texas Rangers All-Star Choo Shin-soo is so far the only South Korean

Aug. 3, 2022

Subject to trade speculation, Rays' Choi Ji-man tops 2021 RBI total

Amid rumors that he could be dealt ahead of the annual trade deadline this week, Tampa Bay Rays infielder Choi Ji-man has surpassed his RBI total from last season. Choi collected two RBIs despite going hitless in four at-bats in a 5-3 loss to the Cleveland Guardians at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, on Sunday (local time). Choi was the designated hitter and got his second straight start at the leadoff spot. After striking out in the first inning, Choi knocked in a run with a groundo

Aug. 1, 2022

Incheon to host ex-MLB stars in home run derby in Sept.

South Korea's western city of Incheon will host former major league sluggers and celebrities in a global home run derby tour in September, the event's organizers said Thursday. "FTX MLB Home Run Derby X" will stop in Incheon, some 30 kilometers west of Seoul, on Sept. 17. London hosted the inaugural event on July 9, and the tour will also visit Mexico City in October. Major League Baseball (MLB) announced the birth of the new bracket-style competition in March. It features fo

July 21, 2022

KBO season resumes as Landers look to run away with pennant

The SSG Landers have been at the top of South Korean baseball all season, and as the second half of the 2022 campaign resumes Friday, they will try to do the unthinkable: going wire to wire to win the pennant. The Landers (57-26-3) have already set a Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) record by spending 86 games and 104 days in first place from the season's start. No club has ever spent an entire season at the top in the league's 41-year history. The Landers, currently riding a six-game

July 21, 2022

Behind strong pitching, Landers run table in KBO in 1st half

As they enter the midseason break for the 2022 South Korean baseball season, the SSG Landers find themselves exactly where they started the proceedings three months ago: first place. The Landers defeated the Kiwoom Heroes 4-1 on Thursday night to arrive at the All-Star break in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) on a six-game winning streak. At 57-26-3 (wins-losses-ties), they lead the Heroes (54-32-1) by 4.5 games. The Landers have been in first place for 103 days and 86 games since the star

July 15, 2022