KBO star Mel Rojas Jr. to be tested for COVID-19

SUWON -- A leading MVP candidate in South Korean baseball will be tested for the novel coronavirus later Tuesday after developing a high fever. The KT Wiz of the Korea Baseball Organization said Tuesday that slugging outfielder Mel Rojas Jr. will undergo a test for COVID-19, with the result expected sometime Wednesday. Rojas Jr. was ruled out of Tuesday's home game against the LG Twins at KT Wiz Park in Suwon, 45 kilometers south of Seoul, after his fever reached 37.2 degrees Celsius earlier i

BaseballOct. 20, 2020

Choi Ji-man, Rays chasing 'firsts' in World Series vs. Dodgers

When their 2020 World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers begins in a Texas bubble this week, the Tampa Bay Rays and their South Korean first baseman, Choi Ji-man, will also start their pursuit of "firsts." As in: the Rays, who began play in 1998, will chase their first-ever World Series title. And whatever Choi does at the plate and on the field will be a first for a South Korean position player. Choi is the fourth South Korean to reach the World Series but the first batter to mak

BaseballOct. 20, 2020

Damwon Gaming is sole Korean hope at Worlds

After European powerhouse G2 Esports swept Korean team Gen.G Esports 3-0 Sunday night, Damwon Gaming became the only Korean team left in the League of Legends World Championships, heading to the semifinals. For Korean fans, the match between G2 and Gen.G on Sunday brought back nightmares of last year’s World Championships. G2, regarded as League of Legends Champions Korea’s kryptonite, took down Damwon Gaming in the quarterfinals and Korean team T1 with superstar “Faker&rdquo

More SportsOct. 19, 2020

KBO's budding star backs teammate's MLB bid, dreams of own big league future

Whenever questions about his potential jump to Major League Baseball (MLB) come up, Kiwoom Heroes' shortstop Kim Ha-seong says he would rather not discuss the matter until after the season. Kim's Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) club is expected to post the 25-year-old for big league clubs this winter. The Heroes promised him as much last year. Kim's chances of landing a deal through posting and his possible destination have been a subject of speculation on both sides of the Pacific. But with

BaseballOct. 19, 2020

Another goal keeps Son Heung-min tied for Premier League scoring lead

Son Heung-min has found the back of the net again for Tottenham Hotspur to stay tied for the Premier League scoring lead, though his latest effort was overshadowed by the club's dismal second-half effort. Fresh off an international break, the South Korean star picked up a goal and an assist within the first eight minutes of the Premier League match against West Ham United at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Sunday (local time). Son helped the Spurs open up a 3-0 lead at halftime, but the

SoccerOct. 19, 2020

Choi Ji-man collects 2 hits as Rays advance to World Series

The Tampa Bay Rays and their South Korean first baseman Choi Ji-man are World Series bound. Choi went 2-for-3 with a walk and scored a late insurance run, helping the Rays beat the Houston Astros 4-2 in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series (ALCS) at Petco Park in San Diego on Saturday (local time). Choi is now poised to become the first South Korean batter to play in the World Series. Three South Koreans who have been there before Choi have all been pitchers: Kim Byung-hyun (2001

BaseballOct. 18, 2020

Choi Ji-man strikes out as pinch hitter in Rays' 3rd straight ALCS loss

Choi Ji-man of the Tampa Bay Rays struck out in his only plate appearance as his club suffered its third straight loss in the American League Champions Series (ALCS). With the South Korean first baseman benched, the Rays fell to the Houston Astros 7-4 in Game 6 of the ALCS at Petco Park in San Diego on Friday (local time). After winning the first three games of the best-of-seven series, the Rays have dropped three in a row to be pushed into the do-or-die Game 7. The series-deciding game will b

BaseballOct. 17, 2020

Choi Ji-man homers, reaches base 4 times in ALCS loss

Choi Ji-man delivered a key home run for the Tampa Bay Rays in a postseason losing cause, as the American League Championship Series (ALCS) got extended by another game. Choi belted a game-tying solo home run in the top eighth against the Houston Astros in Game 5 of the best-of-seven series at Petco Park in San Diego on Thursday (local time), only to see the Astros walk it off for a 4-3 victory in the bottom ninth on Carlos Correa's solo shot. Choi went 2-for-2 with two walks, but the Rays hav

BaseballOct. 16, 2020

World No. 1 in women's golf has 'no regrets' over missing 3 LPGA majors

ICHEON -- South Korean LPGA star Ko Jin-young has managed to stay at the top of the world rankings despite skipping all three major championships so far in the coronavirus-interrupted season. The two-time major winner says, though, she doesn't regret her decision to stay home during the pandemic and not play in those big events. "Given that health and safety are the most important things, this was an unavoidable choice," Ko said Thursday before her first round at the KB Financial Gro

GolfOct. 15, 2020

Top club's struggles add intrigue to KBO pennant race

The already intense pennant race in South Korean baseball has become even more interesting in recent days, with the unexpected struggles of the top-ranked NC Dinos. The Dinos have dropped a season-worst six games in a row, during which they've been shut out twice. Their lead atop the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) standings has been cut to 4.5 games over the KT Wiz, with both clubs having 13 games remaining entering Wednesday. Things are as tight as they get from there. The Wiz and the fift

BaseballOct. 14, 2020

Choi Ji-man sits as Rays take commanding ALCS lead

The Tampa Bay Rays have moved within a win of reaching the World Series, with their South Korean first baseman Choi Ji-man watching from the bench. The Rays defeated the Houston Astros 5-2 to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the American League Champions Series (ALCS) at Petco Park in San Diego on Tuesday (local time). In Game 3, Choi was held out of the starting lineup even though the Astros had right-hander Jose Urquidy starting. Yandy Diaz took Choi's spot both in the lineup and on the field,

BaseballOct. 14, 2020

Promotion playoffs in S. Korean football set for Nov.

Two playoff matches with a spot in South Korean club football's top division at stake will kick off next month. The Korea Professional Football League (K League) announced fixtures for the two promotion playoff matches Wednesday. The top club from the K League 2 and the playoff winner will earn the promotion to the K League 1 for 2021. From the top division, Sangnju Sangmu, the club comprising conscripted players, have been assured of relegation for next season, as part of a deal that will see

SoccerOct. 14, 2020

All Korean teams fall on the same side of bracket for LoL World Championships

The chance of Korean teams facing each other in the finals of League of Legends World Championships went to ashes Sunday as the quarterfinals draw put all three Korean teams on the same side of the tournament bracket. The eight teams that made the quarterfinals are: Damwon Gaming, DRX and Gen.G Esports of Korea; Top Esports, JD Gaming and Suning of China; and two European teams, G2 Esports and Fnatic. Damwon Gaming, Gen.G Esports, Top Esports and Suning topped their groups in the group stages

More SportsOct. 14, 2020

Battle for most pitching wins going down to wire

Say what you will about wins for pitchers -- how it's an overrated stat and how pitchers have less control of their own destiny than once thought. The term "20-game winner" still has a nice ring to it and carries cachet. In the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) this season, two hurlers are going for that milestone, and their battle to lead the league in the category is going down to the wire. Raul Alcantara of the Doosan Bears threw seven shutout innings against the Hanwha Eagles on

BaseballOct. 14, 2020

S. Korean Im Sung-jae eyeing top-5 finish at relocated PGA tournament

Im Sung-jae has been the biggest South Korean name on the PGA Tour for the past couple of years, but he hasn't played like one in the tour's only event held on his home soil during that time. Now that the tournament, the CJ Cup, has been relocated to the United States for this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, perhaps the pressure to deliver in front of home fans will be off the shoulders of the 22-year-old. The fourth edition of the CJ Cup will start at Shadow Creek Golf Course in Las Veg

GolfOct. 14, 2020

Tottenham's Son Heung-min has mixed feelings about documentary on club

During what ultimately ended as a disappointing 2019-2020 Premier League season for Tottenham Hotspur, the club's Korean star Son Heung-min and his lads had a documentary crew's cameras and microphones following their moves at home and away. The upshot was "All or Nothing: Tottenham Hotspur," a nine-episode series on Amazon Prime. It chronicles a campaign that saw the slumping Spurs change their head coach en route to a sixth-place finish. Having watched the documentary, Son said he

SoccerOct. 13, 2020

KBO commissioner declines 2nd term

Chung Un-chan, commissioner of the Korea Baseball Organization, has decided not to seek a second term. Following its board of directors meeting, the KBO announced Tuesday that Chung, whose three-year term ends in December, will not pursue another term at the helm of the country's professional baseball. The board, made up of presidents from 10 KBO clubs, decided to nominate former Doosan Bears interim owner Chung Ji-taik as the new commissioner. The KBO's board of governors, comprising owners o

BaseballOct. 13, 2020

Pro football league to reopen stadium gates Friday

The South Korean pro football league will reopen the gates to its stadiums later this week, following the recent easing of social distancing restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic, the Korea Professional Football League announced Monday. According to the K League, starting with the K League 1 match between Gangwon FC and Incheon United on Friday, supporters will be readmitted to stadiums. The government announced Sunday it would soften social distancing rules and allow pro sports leagues

SoccerOct. 12, 2020

Montenegrin striker Mugosa named K League's top player for Sept.

Incheon United striker Stefan Mugosa has been voted the top player in South Korean club football for September. The Korea Professional Football League (K League) announced Monday that Mugosa topped three other candidates for the Player of the Month honor for September. Mugosa is the first Incheon United player to earn this monthly award. Mugosa scored six goals -- coming in two separate hat tricks -- and assisted on one other goal. He was involved in seven of 10 goals that Incheon scored in Se

SoccerOct. 12, 2020

Fans set to return to KBO games as pennant race intensifies

As the South Korean baseball league enters its third-to-last week of the regular season, stadium gates will open back up for fans who have been itching to return to seats. The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) clubs will play their final two three-game sets this week, with makeup games of rained-out affairs to follow from Oct. 20 to 30. They received some welcoming bit of news Sunday, as the government eased social distancing restrictions to allow sports teams to start playing in front of fans

BaseballOct. 12, 2020