Veteran closer Oh Seung-hwan removed from role amid early season woes

Samsung Lions reliever Oh Seung-hwan, the all-time saves leader in South Korean baseball, has been removed from his closer role in the midst of his early-season struggles. Lions manager Park Jin-man told reporters Thursday that Oh will now be pitching in relief, with left-hander Lee Seung-hyun taking over as closer. "I think he has lost a bit of confidence," Park said before the Lions took on the Kiwoom Heroes at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. "He hasn't been making pitches. We h

April 20, 2023

Pirates' Choi Ji-man to miss 8 weeks with Achilles injury

The Pittsburgh Pirates' South Korean infielder Choi Ji-man will miss two months with a left Achilles strain. The Pirates announced Wednesday that while Choi will need rest and rehab, his condition will not require surgery. The 31-year-old will be wearing a walking boot for several weeks. Choi was placed on the 10-day injured list on Saturday, retroactive to the previous day, with what the Pirates called left posterior ankle discomfort. He first suffered the Achilles strain during spring tra

April 20, 2023

KBO club Eagles release injured pitcher Smith

The Hanwha Eagles have cut bait on injured pitcher Burch Smith after one abbreviated start. Prior to their game Wednesday evening, the Eagles said they asked the Korea Baseball Organization to place the American right-hander on waivers. "We will find a new foreign pitcher as quickly as possible," the Eagles said. Smith's first KBO season lasted just 2 2/3 innings. He started against the Kiwoom Heroes on April 1, the first day of the season, but took himself out of the game after f

April 20, 2023

Teenager sets KBO velocity record for S. Korean pitchers

Moon Dong-ju, a second-year pitcher for the Hanwha Eagles, has set a velocity record in South Korean baseball. In Wednesday's game against the Kia Tigers, Moon threw a fastball measured at 160.1 kph, the fastest pitch ever by a South Korean pitcher in the Korea Baseball Organization since pitch tracking began a dozen years ago. The league's official statistics provider for the KBO, Sports 2i, has been measuring pitch velocities using a pitch tracking system since 2011. Moon is only the

April 13, 2023

Pirates' Bae Ji-hwan, Choi Ji-man become 1st Korean teammates to homer in same MLB game

Bae Ji-hwan and Choi Ji-man have made a piece of major league history for the Pittsburgh Pirates, becoming the first set of South Korean teammates to homer in the same game. Bae blasted a three-run, walk-off home run off Houston Astros closer Ryan Pressly in the bottom of the ninth inning at PNC Park in Pittsburgh on Tuesday, capping off a 7-4 victory for the Bucs after they'd blown a 4-2 lead in the top of the ninth. In the sixth inning of the same game, Choi had homered off starter Cristi

April 12, 2023

Pirates' Choi Ji-man hits 1st homer of season

Seven games into the 2023 season, Choi Ji-man of the Pittsburgh Pirates finally has his first home run with his new team. Batting fifth as the designated hitter, Choi belted a solo home run off Houston Astros starter Framber Valdez in the bottom of the second inning at PNC Park in Pittsburgh on Monday. The ball traveled 407 feet with an exit velocity of 108.3 mph. Choi fell behind 0-2 in the count before battling to a full count. Choi then crushed a middle-middle fastball, measured at 94.9 mph,

April 11, 2023

Baseball league unveils new-look committee for natl. team selection, development

The South Korean baseball league on Monday introduced a new-look committee tasked with naming national teams and developing prospects for future international competitions. The Korea Baseball Organization said its old technical committee will give way to the competitiveness enhancement committee, which will be responsible for a "fair and transparent" player selection process and for development of national teams. The new body, headed by former Kia Tigers general manager Cho Kye-hyeon,

April 10, 2023

KBO asks prosecutors to investigate ex-GM over bribery allegations

The South Korean baseball league said Thursday it has asked prosecutors to investigate a former club executive recently fired for improper contract negotiations. The Korea Baseball Organization said it wants local prosecutors to have a further look into allegations that former Kia Tigers general manager Jang Jung-suk had asked a player for a kickback during contract talks. Jang was fired by the Tigers on March 29 for allegedly asking free agent catcher Park Dong-won for cash in exchange for a lu

April 6, 2023

KBO clubs lose key players to injuries over opening weekend

Only two games into the 2023 season, South Korean baseball clubs have already lost key players to injuries, setting them up for a tough early stretch. The Kia Tigers, already down some players, lost third baseman Kim Do-yeong for up to four months with a broken pinky toe in his left foot. Kim suffered the injury while rounding third during the Tigers' second game of the Korea Baseball Organization season against the SSG Landers on Sunday. The second-year speedster had collected four hits in

April 4, 2023

New speed-up rules, modified schedule among changes in KBO in 2023

The elimination of late-season two-game sets and amended pace-of-play rules are among notable changes in the South Korean baseball league this year. The Korea Baseball Organization has decided to scrap two-game series starting this year, ending a practice that began in 2015. In the early portions of seasons, teams had been playing a pair of three-game series per week, with Monday being the designated off day. Then in later months, they had been playing a trio of two-game series each week. This e

March 30, 2023

Amid off-field incidents, new KBO season to feature repeat title bid, managerial duels

They say in baseball that hope springs eternal for every team this time of year, just before the beginning of a new season. Everyone starts with a 0-0 record, and there's cause for optimism for all. Some off-field issues, however, have threatened to dampen the excitement in the buildup to the new Korea Baseball Organization season, which starts Saturday for all 10 clubs across the nation. The league had hoped to use the World Baseball Classic earlier this month as a launching pad of sorts,

March 30, 2023

KBO club GM offers to quit after allegedly asking player for money during negotiations

Jang Jung-suk, general manager of the South Korean baseball club Kia Tigers, offered to resign Wednesday after allegations surfaced that he'd asked a free agent for a kickback during contract talks. Former Tigers catcher Park Dong-won has accused Jang of demanding cash in exchange for a favorable deal during their negotiations during the last offseason. Park ended up signing a four-year deal with another Korea Baseball Organization club, the LG Twins. In response to Park's accusations,

March 29, 2023

S. Korean players faced with uncertainty in new MLB season

South Korean players in Major League Baseball will enter the 2023 season faced with varying degrees of uncertainty. One will switch positions, another may switch teams, and a third will try to establish himself in the big show. The fourth, and the most seasoned of them all, will try to come back in the summer from last year's surgery The new major league season will begin Thursday afternoon across the United States, or early Friday in South Korea. Kim Ha-seong of the San Diego Padres will e

March 29, 2023

Stuck in middle ground, S. Korean baseball faces painful transition

TOKYO -- The third time wasn't quite the charm for South Korea at this year's World Baseball Classic. South Korea crashed out of the first round at each of the past two WBCs in 2013 and 2017. The third crack at reaching the second round this year was supposed to be different. On paper, South Korea seemed to have just the right balance of veteran savvy and youthful exuberance. Over the course of four games in a five-day span in Tokyo, it turned out South Korea just had old players who w

March 14, 2023

S. Korea makes lineup changes for must-win game vs. Czech Republic

TOKYO -- With his team's back against the wall at the ongoing World Baseball Classic, South Korean manager Lee Kang-chul decided to make several lineup changes Sunday. South Korea will take on the Czech Republic at noon Sunday at Tokyo Dome in Pool B. Lee's team must win this game to stay alive in its quest to reach the quarterfinals. Having dropped the first two games by a combined 21-11, Lee will drop Tommy Edman from the leadoff spot to the No. 9 hole. Edman has batted 1-for-8 in

March 12, 2023

Despite 2 straight losses, S. Korea still alive, barely

Tokyo -- Having dropped its first two games of the World Baseball Classic (WBC), South Korea no longer controls its own destiny. In order to reach the quarterfinals as one of the top two teams in Pool B, South Korea must win its two remaining games and pray for help from other countries. South Korea lost to Australia 8-7 on Thursday and then to Japan 13-4 on Friday. It will next play the Czech Republic at noon Sunday and close out the first round against China at 7 p.m. Monday. All games are at

March 11, 2023

S. Korea protests display of imperial flag in stands

TOKYO -- The South Korean national team lodged a complaint with the organizers of the World Baseball Classic (WBC) after a Japanese fan brought his country's imperial-era flag to a game between South Korea and Japan here Friday. The Rising Sun Flag was seen in the upper deck in the left field at Tokyo Dome prior to the Pool B game between the rival nations. Koreans regard the flag as a symbol of Japan's past militarism, because it was hoisted during Japan's invasion of Asian count

March 10, 2023

S. Korea turns to seasoned veteran in do-or-die game vs. Japan

TOKYO -- South Korean pitcher Kim Kwang-hyun has pitched in some huge games for the country at earlier international competitions, but it won't get much bigger than the must-win affair against Japan at the World Baseball Classic Friday evening. Kim was announced as South Korea's starter in the aftermath of the team's stunning, 8-7 loss to Australia in Pool B action Thursday afternoon at Tokyo Dome. There are five teams in Pool B, with China and the Czech Republic being the others,

March 10, 2023

Hot-hitting backup draws DH assignment vs. Australian lefty in 1st game

TOKYO -- After wielding a hot bat in exhibitions and scrimmages, South Korean backup outfielder Park Kun-woo will be the designated hitter in the team's opening game of the World Baseball Classic against Australia on Thursday. Park will bat sixth for South Korea against left-handed starter Jack O'Loughlin. The first pitch is set for 12:08 p.m. at Tokyo Dome. Park was seen as a backup to right fielder Na Sung-bum, and he is the only right-handed batting outfielder on the 30-man squad. P

March 9, 2023

[Graphic News] South Korea squad for 2023 World Baseball Classic

　The World Baseball Classic has officially begun on Wednesday and ends March 21. 　South Korea will compete in Pool B and the first game at WBC is against Australia on Thursday at Tokyo Dome. South Korea will then take on Japan on Friday, the Czech Republic on March 12 and China on March 13. 　South Korea finished third at the inaugural WBC in 2006 and was the runner-up to Japan at the 2009 edition. However, it crashed out of the first round in each of the next two tournaments, in 2013 and 201

March 9, 2023