Ex-KBO players taking unlikely paths back to MLB

There isn't a precise measure to compare the overall talent level of South Korean professional baseball to that of the majors. But big league scouts and other front office types familiar with the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) would tell you the Korean league falls somewhere between Triple-A and Double-A ball stateside. By some crude math, then, it stands to reason that one-time big leaguers who didn't pan out in the KBO would have little, if any, chance of returning to Major League Baseball

Aug. 19, 2021

KBO's top baseball magnet passes MLB mark with 288th hit-by-pitch

After an errant pitch brushed his jersey, SSG Landers' slugger Choi Jeong didn't just walk to first base. He also trotted into the record books. On Wednesday night in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), Choi got hit by a pitch for the 288th time in his career. The Landers billed it as "the world record," as Choi surpassed the major league mark of 287 held by Hall of Famer Hughie Jennings. His career spanned from 1891 to 1918 but his last hit-by-pitch came in 1903. It's difficult t

Aug. 19, 2021

Homegrown batters dominate KBO leaderboards as foreign players struggle

This has been an unusual season in South Korean baseball in more ways than one, and the absence of former major leaguers from overseas at the top of batting stats leaderboards has been especially noticeable. Gone are the days when foreign hitters dominated major hitting categories such as home runs, hits and RBIs in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO). Through Tuesday's action, Jose Pirela of the Samsung Lions has been the only foreign bat of note. In his first KBO season, Pirela is tied wit

Aug. 18, 2021

Baseball player cleared of doping charges after further review

A South Korean baseball player has been cleared of doping allegations upon further review by the national anti-doping body, the player's club has announced. The Doosan Bears of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) said late Tuesday that the Korea Anti-Doping Agency (KADA) informed the league office of its final decision on the player, whose identity was being withheld, at 6 p.m. Tuesday. The KBO in turn delivered the news to the Bears, a team official added. In June, the KADA detected a banne

Aug. 18, 2021

A KBO player under further review after failing doping test

A player in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) is undergoing an additional review after failing a doping test, national authorities said Tuesday. The Korea Anti-Doping Agency (KADA) said a player for the Doosan Bears, whose identity is being withheld, tested positive for a banned substance last month but has since appealed his case. The player insisted in his hearing in July that he has never taken any illegal drug. The KADA is reviewing possibilities that a prohibited substance might have

Aug. 10, 2021

Cardinals' Kim Kwang-hyun lands on injured list with elbow inflammation

St. Louis Cardinals' South Korean pitcher Kim Kwang-hyun has landed on the injured list (IL) for the third time this season. The Cardinals announced Monday (US local time) that Kim is back on the 10-day IL with left elbow inflammation and the move is retroactive to Sunday. The left-hander had previously made two trips to the IL, first in April and then in June, with lower back issues. After giving up two runs in four innings against the Kansas City Royals on Saturday, Kim admitted he had been

Aug. 10, 2021

Coach of KBO club Wiz tests positive for COVID-19

The South Korean baseball club KT Wiz announced Monday one of their coaches tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The coach began exhibiting symptoms on Friday and didn't attend the club's practices on Saturday and Sunday. The coach was tested Sunday and got his positive result back Monday, the Wiz added. The club said it immediately informed the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) of the result. All KT players and front office staff will be tested and remain isolated until further notice.

July 19, 2021

Mechanical tweak works wonders for Ryu Hyun-jin in shutout

Trying to regain consistency with his best pitch, the changeup, Toronto Blue Jays' Ryu Hyun-jin put his head down and got to work in the bullpen during the All-Star break. And he came out throwing it as well as he has at any point this year. The South Korean left-hander rode the changeup to a seven-inning shutout of the Texas Rangers at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, New York, on Sunday (local time). Ryu held the opponents to three hits in the first game of a doubleheader for his first complete game

July 19, 2021

Blue Jays' Ryu Hyun-jin tosses 7-inning shutout to open 2nd half

Though it came in an abbreviated game, Ryu Hyun-jin will take a complete game shutout in any shape or form. The South Korean starter for the Toronto Blue Jays pitched a seven-inning shutout against the Texas Rangers to open the second half of the season at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, New York, on Sunday (local time), carrying Toronto to a 5-0 win in the first game of a doubleheader. Ryu gave up three hits and a walk while striking out four, after his scheduled start was pushed back by a day due to

July 19, 2021

Fueled by home cooking, Cardinals' Kim Kwang-hyun puts on show for family

With his family watching him pitch in the majors in person for the first time, St. Louis Cardinals' South Korean starter Kim Kwang-hyun delivered an outstanding performance. While twirling six shutout innings against the San Francisco Giants in a 3-1 win at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on Saturday (local time), Kim had to keep his emotions in check. "I tried not to get caught up in the thoughts of my family and just focus on the game at hand," Kim said in his postgame Zoom session. He

July 18, 2021

Cardinals' Kim Kwang-hyun shuts down Giants for 2nd time, extends scoreless streak to 21 innings

St. Louis Cardinals' Kim Kwang-hyun has shut down the best team in the majors once again. The South Korean left-hander tossed six scoreless innings against the San Francisco Giants in a 3-1 victory at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on Saturday (local time). By winning his fourth consecutive start, Kim improved to 5-5 for the year and lowered his ERA from 3.11 to 2.87. Kim's scoreless innings streak has now reached 21. The last run Kim allowed came in the third inning of a home game against the Ar

July 18, 2021

Pro baseball players fined by local health authorities for social distancing violation

Two baseball players have been fined by local health authorities for violating social distancing rules, in a new wrinkle to a damaging misconduct scandal that has rocked professional sports in the country. Gangnam Ward office in southern Seoul said Saturday evening that it has levied a fine on one player each from the Hanwha Eagles and the Kiwoom Heroes in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) for being involved in an illegal social gathering. The players also face a potential police investigat

July 18, 2021

On cusp of MLB debut, minor leaguer Park Hoy-jun called up to Yankees' taxi squad

South Korean minor leaguer Park Hoy-jun was set to be called up by the New York Yankees this week in the Bronx, pushing the 25-year-old closer to his big league debut, an informed source told Yonhap News Agency. The source, requesting anonymity, said Park was being added to the major league taxi squad and "heading to New York on standby" on Thursday (local time). The Yankees were scheduled to host the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium that day to open the second half of the season, but

July 16, 2021

Local official accuses baseball players of covering up social distancing violation

A local official handling contact tracing during the coronavirus pandemic is accusing professional baseball players of covering up an illegal gathering in violation of social distancing rules. The official from the Gangnam Ward office in southern Seoul told Yonhap News Agency on Thursday that players from the NC Dinos in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) and their two outside guests initially didn't report their drinking session at an NC team hotel room in Seoul last week. In all, four Din

July 15, 2021

Choo Shin-soo to receive treatment, reunite with family in US during KBO break

South Korea-based former major leaguer Choo Shin-soo will spend the next two weeks in the United States to receive treatment and spend time with his family, his club announced Thursday. The SSG Landers of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) said Choo will depart for America on Saturday. He will have his left elbow and shoulder looked at by Dr. Keith Meister, the head physician for Choo's former major league club, Texas Rangers. After 16 seasons in the bigs, Choo signed with the Landers in Fe

July 15, 2021

KBO's Heroes sign ex-MLB hitter Will Craig

The South Korean baseball club Kiwoom Heroes announced Tuesday they've signed former major leaguer Will Craig. Craig will make $371,000 for the rest of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) season as a replacement for David Freitas, who was released on June 23, in the Heroes' lineup. Craig, 26, was a first round draft choice by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2016 out of Wake Forest University. He appeared in just 20 major league games over the past two years, including 18 this year. He batted .203/

July 13, 2021

Youngest franchise on top as 1st half of KBO season comes to abrupt halt

As the youngest club in the South Korean baseball league competing in their seventh season, the KT Wiz find themselves at the top of the standings at the All-Star break. The twist: The annual Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) All-Star Game isn't until July 24. The first half of the 2021 came to a screeching halt Monday, when the league announced it would suspend the season in light of five combined COVID-19 cases from the NC Dinos and the Doosan Bears. All games scheduled from Tuesday to Sunda

July 13, 2021

Baseball league suspends season following multiple COVID-19 cases

The South Korean professional baseball league decided on Monday to suspend its ongoing regular season, effectively immediately, following multiple cases of the novel coronavirus.    This marked South Korea's first professional sports league to halt proceedings because of COVID-19 cases.    The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) reached the decision after its emergency board meeting with CEOs of the league's 10 clubs at KBO's head office in Seoul.    In spring 20

July 12, 2021

S. Korean pitchers on roll, hitters in playoff position as MLB season's 1st half ends

With the first half of the 2021 Major League Baseball (MLB) in the books, two South Korean pitchers have built some momentum for the remainder of the season, while two position players from the country will look to stay in the postseason hunt. MLB will enter the All-Star break following the conclusion of games Sunday in the US (local time). Two South Korean starters, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays and Kim Kwang-hyun of the St. Louis Cardinals, both won their final starts of the first hal

July 12, 2021

Cardinals' Kim Kwang-hyun wins 3rd straight start to wrap up 1st half

St. Louis Cardinals' starter Kim Kwang-hyun braved rain to beat the Chicago Cubs for his third consecutive victory, giving himself a strong foundation to build upon in the second half of his sophomore campaign. Kim tossed six shutout innings against the Cubs at Wrigley Field in Chicago on Saturday (local time), helping the Cardinals to a 6-0 win. Kim, who gave up five singles and struck out seven, improved to 4-5 while lowering his ERA from 3.39 to 3.11. The South Korean left-hander earned hi

July 11, 2021