KBO, club CEOs to discuss possible suspension of season following multiple COVID-19 cases

The South Korean professional baseball league held an emergency meeting with club executives Sunday to discuss a possible suspension of the ongoing season, with another round of talks with higher-ranking officials set for Monday, in light of multiple coronavirus cases involving two clubs. The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) said Sunday it met with general managers of the 10 clubs earlier in the day to go over COVID-19 protocols and league operations. Then on Monday, the designated off day acr

July 11, 2021

3 KBO games canceled due to COVID-19 cases, protocols

Three South Korean baseball games scheduled for Saturday were canceled, following three additional cases of the novel coronavirus on two clubs.    The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) said Saturday two members of the Doosan Bears and one player from the NC Dinos have tested positive for COVID-19. The Bears' home game against the LG Twins at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul has been canceled, along with the Dinos' road game against the Kiwoom Heroes at Gocheok Sky Dome in the nation'

July 10, 2021

Sophomore pitcher nabs KBO's top player award for June

KT Wiz's second-year starter So Hyeong-jun has been named the best player in South Korean baseball for the month of June. The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) said So, the 2020 Rookie of the Year, won the vote by media and fans to earn the Player of the Month honor for June. So earned 11 out of 32 votes cast by media and then earned 121,857 out of 258,241 votes from fans. He scored 40.78 in the converted voting points, edging out NC Dinos catcher Yang Eui-ji (20.86 points). So went 2-0 in fo

July 8, 2021

Efficient Kim Kwang-hyun gets confidence-building win over MLB-best Giants

As he finished a gratifying day of work on the mound, St. Louis Cardinals' starter Kim Kwang-hyun flashed his signature smile. The South Korean left-hander is an expressive one on the field, with his aw-shucks grins often accompanying his performances. Against the major league-leading San Francisco Giants on the road on Monday (local time), Kim had plenty to smile about. He twirled seven shutout innings, giving up only three singles on just 89 pitches in a 5-3 victory at Oracle Park in San Fra

July 6, 2021

KBO's Eagles release slumping hitter Ryon Healy

The South Korean baseball club Hanwha Eagles said Sunday they've released their struggling American first baseman Ryon Healy. Healy, a two-time 20-homer man in the majors, batted only .257/.306/.394 with seven home runs and 37 RBIs in 67 games this year, his first season in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO). Among 54 qualified hitters, Healy ranked 43rd in batting average and 53rd in on-base percentage. Healy signed a one-year deal worth up to $1 million, the maximum amount allowed for a f

July 4, 2021

KBO slugger Jamie Romak to be honored as top Canadian baseball player for 2020

South Korea-based Canadian slugger Jamie Romak will be honored Thursday as the top baseball player from his country for the 2020 season. Romak, first baseman for the SSG Landers in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), will receive the 2020 Tip O'Neill Award before a home game against the Samsung Lions at Incheon SSG Landers Field in Incheon, 40 kilometers west of Seoul. The Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame presents the award annually to the Canadian player "judged to have excelled in indi

July 1, 2021

Cardinals' Kim Kwang-hyun credits long-awaited win to luck

It wasn't the kind of personal record he wanted to break, but Kim Kwang-hyun, the South Korean left-hander for the St. Louis Cardinals, went a career-high 10 starts between victories this year. Kim earned his first win of 2021 on April 23 in his second start of the campaign. Then win No. 2 came against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on Wednesday (local time), his 13th start of 2021. Kim held the Diamondbacks to a run on three hits -- all singles -- and three walks in fi

July 1, 2021

Members of 2 baseball clubs test positive for COVID-19

Members of two South Korean baseball clubs have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, industry sources said Tuesday, though the season will proceed as usual after the rest of their teams all tested negative. According to the sources, one scout from a Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) team in the greater Seoul region tested positive for COVID-19 early Monday. Later Monday, a coach for another team in greater Seoul also got infected with COVID-19, forcing the rest of his team to be tested.

June 29, 2021

KBO-leading Wiz counting on hustle, defense from new outfielder Hoying

They may be leading South Korean baseball as the season nears its halfway point, but the KT Wiz still see room for improvement. And they're hoping veteran outfielder Jared Hoying, who signed with the Wiz over the weekend for his second tour of duty in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), can help address multiple issues by himself. The Wiz announced their signing of Hoying, 32, on Saturday. He will make US$400,000 for the rest of the season. Hoying will replace Zoilo Almonte, who batted .27

June 28, 2021

Bullpen session pays off as Blue Jays' Ryu Hyun-jin regains changeup command

For the better part of June, Toronto Blue Jay's starter Ryu Hyun-jin has been trying to regain the command of his changeup, long his bread-and-butter pitch. He has even had in-between-starts bullpen sessions, something the veteran left-hander rarely does. And that extra work seems to be paying dividends. Ryu picked up his seventh win of the season against the Baltimore Orioles at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, New York, on Saturday (local time). Ryu gave up four runs on seven hits in 6 2/3 innings i

June 27, 2021

Blue Jays' Ryu Hyun-jin beats Orioles for 2nd straight start

Backed by an offensive explosion from his teammates, Toronto Blue Jays' starter Ryu Hyun-jin defeated the Baltimore Orioles for the second straight outing. Ryu gave up four runs on seven hits in 6 2/3 innings in a 12-4 victory at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, New York, on Saturday (local time). Ryu improved to 7-4 for the year, while his ERA rose slightly from 3.25 to 3.41. Ryu struck out three and walked two. In his previous start, Ryu limited the same Orioles to a run over seven innings in Balti

June 27, 2021

Cardinals' Kim Kwang-hyun takes no-decision in another abbreviated outing

Stuck at one win for the 2021 season for over two months, Kim Kwang-hyun of the St. Louis Cardinals has taken a no-decision in yet another brief outing. Kim gave up four runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on Friday (local time). The game was tied at 4-4 when Kim was pulled with one out in the fifth, and the Pirates won 5-4. Kim remained at 1-5 for the year, while his ERA went up from 3.60 to 3.98. His only win of the season came on

June 26, 2021

2 nat'l baseball team players stuck in KBO minor league with Olympics fast approaching

With the start of the Tokyo Olympics about a month away, two key members of the South Korean baseball team are toiling in the minor league -- one sent down to rediscover his stroke and the other exiled for disciplinary reasons. A roster that already had a few question marks when it was announced on June 16 will be scrutinized even more in the coming days, as long as second baseman Park Min-woo and outfielder Park Kun-woo remain out of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) spotlight. The NC Din

June 25, 2021

Blue Jays' Ryu, Cardinals' Kim again miss out on chance to win on same day

One pitcher held up his end of the bargain. The other failed to join him in the win column. For the third time in 2021, the two South Korean left-handers in the majors, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays and Kim Kwang-hyun of the St. Louis Cardinals, started on the same day. And once again, they failed to pick up a victory together. Ryu got his "W" taken care of earlier Sunday afternoon in Baltimore, where he kept the Orioles to a run on three hits in seven innings in a 7-4 Toront

June 21, 2021

Blue Jays' Ryu Hyun-jin beats Orioles for 1st win of June

After overcoming some early trouble, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays finally got his first win of June. The South Korean left-hander held the Baltimore Orioles to a run on three hits in seven innings at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore on Sunday (local time) in a 7-4 victory. Ryu struck out four and walked one as the Jays took the rubber match of a three-game series. Ryu, who matched his season high with seven innings pitched, improved to 6-4 and lowered his ERA from 3.43 to 3.25

June 21, 2021

Rangers designate S. Korean pitcher Yang Hyeon-jong for assignment

The Texas Rangers have designated their South Korean pitcher Yang Hyeon-jong for assignment, putting the left-hander's future in the majors in further doubt. The Rangers announced the move Thursday (US local time), one day after optioning Yang to their Triple-A affiliate, Round Rock Express. When a player is designated for assignment, he is immediately removed from the 40-man roster and from the 25-man active roster if on it. The player must be traded, released or placed on irrevocable waivers

June 18, 2021

Rangers' Yang Hyeon-jong demoted to minors

South Korean left-hander Yang Hyeon-jong has been demoted to the minor leagues by the Texas Rangers. In a roster move made Wednesday (US time), Yang was replaced with right-hander Ian Kennedy, who has been on a 10-day injury list. "Manager Chris Woodward said the staff wants Yang to get more reps and starts at Triple-A Round Rock before getting back up to the big leagues," the Texas Rangers said on its website. The 33-year old south paw was removed from the rotation in late May afte

June 17, 2021

Cardinals' Kim Kwang-hyun takes no-decision in up-and-down start

St. Louis Cardinals' South Korean starter Kim Kwang-hyun took a no-decision in his first start back from a stint on the injured list (IL), as his struggles with command continued. Kim gave up a run on three hits in six innings against the Miami Marlins at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on Tuesday (local time). He allowed a season-worst five walks and was lucky to keep the Marlins to a run, as the Cardinals rallied for a 2-1 win. Kim hasn't won since April 23 and had lost four consecutive decisions

June 16, 2021

Two ex-MLB players among veterans left off Olympic baseball team as youth takes over

With six 20-something international rookies on the pitching staff alone, the South Korean baseball team for the Tokyo Olympics will have a youthful flavor. And the country could still put together a competitive team with veterans left off this time. National team manager Kim Kyung-moon unveiled his 24-man roster Wednesday at the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) headquarters in Seoul. Conspicuous by their absence were two former major leaguers currently plying their trade in the KBO: Choo Shi

June 16, 2021

Blue Jays' Ryu Hyun-jin settles for no-decision after bullpen blows lead

Toronto Blue Jays' South Korean starter Ryu Hyun-jin saw his personal winless skid reach three games after his bullpen frittered away a lead in late innings. Ryu held the New York Yankees to three runs on three hits in six innings in a 6-5 Toronto loss at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, New York, on Tuesday (local time). The left-hander walked a season-worst four batters, and both of the New York runs came via solo shots. Ryu handed the reins to the bullpen with a 5-3 lead through six, but reliever A

June 16, 2021