Rangers' Yang Hyeon-jong wild in final spring training game

Texas Rangers' South Korean pitcher Yang Hyeon-jong may have blown his chance at making the big league roster at the start of the new season, following a wild outing in his final spring training game. Yang issued three walks and gave up two runs in 2/3 of an inning in relief against the Milwaukee Brewers at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, on Monday (local time). Yang, who signed a minor league deal after 14 years in South Korea and received an invitation to spring training, has been tryi

March 30, 2021

Cardinals' Kim Kwang-hyun allows 2 runs in 2 innings in return to spring training action

Pitching in his first spring training game in nearly three weeks, Kim Kwang-hyun of the St. Louis Cardinals was undone by extra-base hits. The South Korean left-hander served up two triples while giving up two runs in two innings against the Miami Marlins at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Jupiter, Florida, on Saturday (local time). This was Kim's first preseason since March 8, when he was charged with four earned runs in 2 1/3 innings against the same Marlins. While preparing for his next ou

March 28, 2021

2 S. Korean pitchers set to make final spring appearances over weekend

South Korean baseball fans won't get to sleep in this weekend, with two of their own set to make final appearances in the ongoing major league spring training in the early morning hours. Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays will start against the Philadelphia Phillies at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida, at 7:37 a.m. Saturday (Korean time). It will be his third official spring start, but fifth appearance overall, counting unofficial scrimmages. The left-hander has built up to 77 pitches and fi

March 26, 2021

Injured Rays' infielder Choi Ji-man resumes training, itching to get back

Having been sidelined for about two weeks with a knee injury, Tampa Bay Rays' South Korean infielder Choi Ji-man can't wait to return to the field. The rehab has been taking longer than he'd like. In a Zoom media conference from Florida on Thursday (local time), Choi said he's been surprised by two aspects of his current condition: one, that he's had to deal with pain on two different occasions, and two, that the rehab has gone on as long as it has. "It's such a shame that I've been sitt

March 26, 2021

Rangers' Yang Hyeon-jong shaky in 1st spring start

Texas Rangers' South Korean pitcher Yang Hyeon-jong got knocked around in his first spring training start, wobbling in his pursuit of a major league job by the end of camp next week. Yang allowed two runs on five hits in 3 1/3 innings against the Cincinnati Reds at Goodyear Ballpark in Goodyear, Arizona, on Wednesday (local time). Four of those hits and both of the runs came in the second inning. The left-hander had made three relief appearances and pitched to a 3.00 ERA over six innings prior

March 25, 2021

Choo Shin-soo named to S. Korean provisional baseball roster for Tokyo Olympics

Choo Shin-soo, a former major league All-Star currently playing for a South Korean club, was named to the country's provisional roster for the Tokyo Olympics on Monday. The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) announced a 154-man preliminary squad, which will be whittled down to 24 for the final roster in June. The Tokyo Olympics, postponed by a year from 2020 due to effects of the coronavirus pandemic, will run from July 23 to Aug. 8 this year. The KBO said only those on the provisional roster c

March 22, 2021

Blue Jays' Ryu Hyun-jin throws 5 shutout innings in simulated game

Toronto Blue Jays' starter Ryu Hyun-jin has tossed another fine outing in spring training, as he continues to build up nicely for the start of the regular season next week. Ryu threw five scoreless innings in a simulated game in Dunedin, Florida, on Sunday (local time), the Blue Jays announced. The team said the South Korean left-hander struck out five while making 77 pitches. He gave up three hits and a walk. Ryu has pitched in just two official spring training games, while mixing in an intra

March 22, 2021

Choo Shin-soo strikes out twice in KBO preseason debut

CHANGWON -- Former major league All-Star Choo Shin-soo made his South Korean professional baseball debut on Sunday, striking out twice as a designated hitter in the most eagerly anticipated preseason game in recent years. Choo, the biggest offseason signing by the SSG Landers, went 0-for-3 from the No. 2 spot against the NC Dinos at Changwon NC Park in Changwon, 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul. The preseason in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) was scheduled to begin across the nation on

March 21, 2021

All eyes on Choo Shin-soo, SSG Landers as KBO's preseason begins on weekend

Contrary to popular belief, there are players in South Korean baseball other than Choo Shin-soo, and his SSG Landers definitely aren't the only club in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO). Despite the presence of nine other clubs and their players, Choo and the Landers have been hogging the spotlight throughout spring training, and for good reason. Now, one of the most hyped-up preseasons in KBO history is scheduled to begin Saturday. Choo, a 16-year major league veteran who signed with the

March 18, 2021

2nd-year KBO starter looking to throw curve, literally and figuratively

In 20 games as a rookie last year, including 16 starts, LG Twins' right-hander Lee Min-ho mostly relied on two pitches: four-seam fastball and slider. The 19-year-old is trying to change that pattern this year by throwing his curveball more often. The runner-up in the Rookie of the Year voting in 2020 hopes he can keep hitters on their toes that way and improve on his 3.69 ERA from last season. According to the Korean baseball statistics site Statiz, Lee threw his four-seamer 49.8 percent of t

March 18, 2021

Blue Jays' Ryu Hyun-jin sharp in scoreless spring start

In just his second spring training start, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays already looked to be in midseason form. The South Korean left-hander tossed four shutout innings in a 4-0 win over the Detroit Tigers at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Florida, on Monday (local time). Ryu struck out four and gave up just two hits. He was supposed to get his pitch count up to 60 pitches over those four innings but ended up needing just 49 pitches -- 38 of them strikes. Ryu threw

March 16, 2021

S. Koreans off to sluggish starts in MLB spring training

Baseball fans shouldn't put too much stock into spring training results, good or bad. That's often the case in a normal year. And in this pandemic-hit 2021 season -- games going fewer than nine innings and starting pitchers getting pulled in the first inning, only to come back out for the second inning -- that's even more so. But sometimes, numbers are bad enough, even factoring in sample size, that they leave fans concerned about their favorite players heading into the regular season. South

March 10, 2021

Slumping at plate, Padres' Kim Ha-seong combines for 2 double plays at shortstop

Spring training hitting slump hasn't kept Kim Ha-seong from making an impact on defense for the San Diego Padres. The new South Korean infielder combined for two inning-ending double plays in the Padres' 4-3 loss to the Kansas City Royals at Peoria Stadium in Peoria, Arizona, on Sunday (local time). Kim got the start at shortstop, with Jake Cronenworth getting the nod at second base. With the bases loaded in the third inning, Cronenworth fielded a grounder by Adalberto Mondesi and threw to Ki

March 8, 2021

Rangers' Yang Hyeon-jong serves up home run in spring training debut

The Texas Rangers' new South Korean pitcher Yang Hyeon-jong allowed a home run in his spring training debut, a shaky start to his pursuit of a major league job by the end of this month. Yang served up a solo home run and a single in one inning of relief work against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Arizona, on Sunday (local time). Yang was the last of five Texas pitchers to take the mound in the abbreviated, eight-inning game and was the only one to give up a long ball.

March 8, 2021

KBO club SK Wyverns renamed SSG Landers under new ownership

A new team has landed in South Korean baseball. The SK Wyverns are no more in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), as the team's new corporate owner, Shinsegae Group's E-Mart, announced Friday they will now be called the SSG Landers. SSG comes from Shinsegae's online mall, SSG.com. The nickname Landers was inspired in part by Incheon International Airport, the country's main gateway located in the club's west coast home city of Incheon, and the fact that travelers "land" there to a

March 5, 2021

KBO approves Shinsegae Group's entry following takeover of SK Wyverns

The South Korean baseball league has greenlighted the entry of the retail giant Shinsegae Group following its purchase of the SK Wyverns. The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) announced Friday its board of governors, made up of club owners, unanimously approved Shinsegae's membership. Shinsegae's E-Mart recently took over the Wyverns from SK Telecom for 135.2 billion won ($119.7 million). And in a rare development, the group will pay an entry fee of 6 billion won. This is only the second time

March 5, 2021

KBO skipper to Choo Shin-soo: 'Just be yourself'

SEOGWIPO -- Even before managing his first regular season game, SK Wyverns' new skipper Kim Won-hyong has already gone through a dizzying roller-coaster ride. For one, his team will no longer be called the SK Wyverns after this week. Shinsegae Group's E-Mart purchased the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) club from SK Telecom, and the new name is expected to be unveiled Friday. The abrupt decision by SK Telecom to sell off the team, which Kim learned through media, represented a low point. A h

March 4, 2021

Just put me in, skip': Choo Shin-soo cares not where he plays for new KBO club

Former Texas Rangers All-Star Choo Shin-soo brings impressive major league credentials to his new South Korean club, but he left his ego back in the United States before arriving in his homeland on Thursday. Choo on Tuesday signed a one-year deal worth 2.7 billion won (US$2.4 million) with the SK Wyverns, a club soon to be renamed after recently being sold to Shinsegae Group. Choo is expected to bat near the top of the order and play a corner outfield position, as he did for most of his 16-year

Feb. 25, 2021

Ex-MLB All-Star Choo Shin-soo signs with new KBO club

Former major league All-Star outfielder Choo Shin-soo is coming home. Choo has signed with the new Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) club to be owned by Shinsegae Group, the retail giant announced Tuesday. Shinsegae will take over the SK Wyverns from the mobile carrier SK Telecom, with the new club name and uniform to be unveiled sometime next month. Shinegae said Choo agreed to a 2.7 billion-won ($2.4 million) contract and that he has offered to donate 1 billion won of that to charity. Choo'

Feb. 23, 2021

MLB checks on status of S. Korean free agent pitcher Yang Hyeon-jong

Major League Baseball (MLB) has checked on the availability of South Korean free agent pitcher Yang Hyeon-jong, league officials here said Monday, a move indicating newfound interest in the left-hander. The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) said MLB tendered a status check on Yang last Friday and that it informed its US counterpart that Yang is a free agent and may sign with any big league club. Under an agreement between MLB and the KBO, a major league team interested in a South Korean player

Feb. 8, 2021