KBO's Eagles sign ex-MLB outfielder O'Grady

The South Korean baseball club Hanwha Eagles announced their signing of former major league outfielder Brian O'Grady on Wednesday. The Korea Baseball Organization team said O'Grady, 30, agreed to a one-year deal worth a maximum $900,000, with a guaranteed salary of $700,000 and an incentive of up to $200,000. This transaction completes foreign player signings for the Eagles, who had earlier re-signed pitcher Felix Pena and newly acquired pitcher Burch Smith. KBO teams can each sign up

Dec. 21, 2022

S. Korean Park Hoy-jun to compete for backup job for Braves after second offseason trade

Having been traded over the weekend for the second time this winter, South Korean utility player Park Hoy-jun would like nothing more than some stability the rest of this offseason. Park's new home, for the time being, is Atlanta, after the Braves acquired him in a trade with the Boston Red Sox in exchange for a player to be named and cash considerations on Friday (US time). This has been a tumultuous winter for the 26-year-old. First, he was designated for assignment by the Pittsburgh Pira

Dec. 19, 2022

KBO champions Landers caught in meddling controversy

Barely a month removed from their historic championship run in South Korean baseball, the SSG Landers should still be basking in the glory of their title. Instead, they find themselves mired in a front office controversy this week. Angered fans have been demanding an explanation from the club's public-facing owner regarding speculation that a person with no direct ties to the team has been running the show behind the scenes. This year, the Landers became the first team in Korea Baseball Org

Dec. 15, 2022

4 KBO teams still looking to fill foreign player spots for 2023

Just over half the teams in the South Korean baseball league have filled up their foreign player quota for 2023, with others looking to complete their transactions before the calendar flips to the new year. As of Wednesday morning, six out of 10 clubs in the Korea Baseball Organization had signed their maximum three foreign players, each with two pitchers and one position player. Those teams are: the Kiwoom Heroes, the KT Wiz, the Kia Tigers, the Samsung Lions, the Lotte Giants and the Doosan Be

Dec. 14, 2022

[World Cup] Injured Premier League attacker Hwang Hee-chan out vs. Uruguay

DOHA -- With his recovery from a hamstring injury almost grounding to a halt, South Korean winger Hwang Hee-chan will not be available for team's first Group H match against Uruguay on Thursday. The physical attacker for Wolverhampton Wanderers has been dealing with some left hamstring discomfort since before arriving in Qatar for the FIFA World Cup. Hwang's recovery has gone more slowly than expected and head coach Paulo Bento said at his prematch press conference Wednesday that Hwang "wil

Nov. 23, 2022

SSG Landers capture Korean Series title

INCHEON -- They have landed on the pinnacle of South Korean baseball: the SSG Landers are the 2022 Korean Series champions. The Landers finished off the Kiwoom Heroes in six games in the best-of-seven series on Tuesday, with a 4-3 victory at home, Incheon SSG Landers Field, just west of Seoul. No. 8 hitter Kim Sung-hyun delivered a go-ahead, two-run double in the sixth, and starter Wilmer Font overcame two home runs to pick up his second win of the series in the clincher. This is the Landers f

Nov. 8, 2022

Landers looking to go wire-to-wire for Korean Series title over Heroes

After running the table in the South Korean baseball regular season, the SSG Landers will now try to cap off the historic journey by winning the championship series starting Tuesday. The Landers will take on the Kiwoom Heroes in the best-of-seven Korean Series, with the crown for the Korea Baseball Organization champions at stake. Game 1 starts at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Incheon SSG Landers Field in Incheon, just west of Seoul. By virtue of posting the best regular season record, the Landers will h

Oct. 31, 2022

MLB cancels exhibition games in S. Korea over 'contractual issues'

Major League Baseball has canceled four exhibition games scheduled for November in South Korea, citing "contractual issues" with a local promoter. MLB made the announcement while Game 1 of the World Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Houston Astros was under way in Houston on Friday (local time). The MLB World Tour Korea Series was to have featured two games in the southeastern city of Busan on Nov. 11 and 12 and two more in Seoul on Nov. 14 and 15. A team of MLB player

Oct. 29, 2022

[Graphic News] Prepping for World Series

　The NL champion Philadelphia Phillies will be facing off against the AL champion Houston Astros beginning Friday at Minute Maid Park, in Houston, for the 118th edition of the World Series - the annual crowning championship of Major League Baseball. 　The Houston Astros are considered favorites in the Fall Classic, with most sports betting platforms leaning to the Astros over the Phillies. The Astros are coming off a powerful sweep of the Yankees in the AL Championship Series, and having conten

Oct. 26, 2022

Padres' shortstop Kim Ha-seong named finalist for NL Gold Glove Award

The San Diego Padres' South Korean shortstop Kim Ha-seong has named a finalist for the National League Gold Glove Award. Major League Baseball announced finalists for the top fielding award at each position on Thursday. Kim is up against Dansby Swanson of the Atlanta Braves and Miguel Rojas of the Miami Marlins. Kim stepped in for the injured and suspended Fernando Tatis Jr. as the Padres' everyday shortstop in his second MLB season. Per Baseball Reference, Kim ranked sixth among all NL shortsto

Oct. 21, 2022

One year after release from one team, outfielder shines in KBO postseason for another team

In October 2021, outfielder Kim Jun-wan was released by the NC Dinos, not deemed worthy of a new contract from a team that missed the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) postseason. One year later, Kim is playing in the postseason. He has been the sparkplug in the leadoff spot for the Kiwoom Heroes, now on the verge of reaching the next round. Kim drove in three runs on a couple of hits in the Heroes' 9-2 victory in Game 3 of the best-of-five series against the KT Wiz Wednesday night. When th

Oct. 20, 2022

From friends to enemies: New KBO managers look forward to entertaining battles

They are two of the most iconic names in South Korean professional baseball history, and they have been close friends for many years. And starting in 2023, Lee Seung-yuop and Park Jin-man will go toe-to-toe as opposing managers in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), hoping that their rivalry will give the top league a much-needed jolt. On Tuesday, the Samsung Lions removed the interim tag on Park and gave him a three-year contract as the full-time manager. Mere hours later, the inauguration c

Oct. 19, 2022

Right-handers to duel in 1st KBO postseason starts

Two right-handers will be making their first postseason starts in South Korean baseball when the series between the Kiwoom Heroes and the KT Wiz resumes Wednesday. The teams have split the first two games of their best-of-five series in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) playoffs, with the Heroes taking the opener 8-4 on Sunday and the Wiz responding with a 2-0 win on Monday, both at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. When the series shifts to KT Wiz Park in Suwon, just south of the capital city, sid

Oct. 18, 2022

Padres' Kim Ha-seong picks up RBI in stunning NLDS victory over Dodgers

The San Diego Padres' South Korean shortstop Kim Ha-seong is moving on in the major league postseason, four wins away from his first World Series appearance, after helping his club stun the best regular season team in the National League Division Series (NLDS). Kim drove in a run in the Padres' five-run seventh inning, as they beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-3 to wrap up the best-of-five series 3-1 at Petco Park in San Diego on Saturday (local time). Batting leadoff, Kim went 1-for-5 wi

Oct. 16, 2022

KBO's all-time home run king Lee Seung-yuop named Doosan Bears manager

Lee Seung-yuop, the greatest home run hitter in South Korean baseball history, will be managing in the top professional league for the first time. The Doosan Bears of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) announced Lee, the league's all-time home run leader with 467, as their new manager Friday. Lee signed a three-year contract worth 1.8 billion won ($1.26 million) in total: 500 million won in annual salary and 300 million won in a signing bonus. He will be formally introduced in a ceremony

Oct. 14, 2022

Leading MVP candidate tops KBO in 5 major hitting categories

Kiwoom Heroes outfielder Lee Jung-hoo has bolstered his already strong MVP case by leading the top South Korean baseball league in five major offensive categories. The 2022 Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) regular season drew to a conclusion Tuesday night with a makeup game between the KT Wiz and the LG Twins. Lee and the Heroes had finished their campaign Saturday, and the 24-year-old outfielder had locked down some individual trophies before the last game of the season. Lee won his second str

Oct. 12, 2022

S. Korean MLB contingent wraps up disappointing regular season; 2 players headed to postseason

A largely disappointing regular season for South Korean players in Major League Baseball (MLB) drew to a conclusion across the United States on Wednesday, with two of five Koreans who saw action this year moving on to the postseason. One of them, San Diego Padres shortstop Kim Ha-seong, was the best of the South Korean bunch in 2022. In his second big league season, Kim established himself as a strong defender at a premium position while also showing improvements at the plate. Kim finished with

Oct. 6, 2022

SSG Landers clinch KBO regular season title

The SSG Landers captured the South Korean baseball regular season title without even playing on Tuesday, becoming the first team in league history to go wire to wire for the direct ticket to the championship series. The Landers, at 88-49-4 (wins-losses-ties), locked down first place in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), after second-place LG Twins suffered an 8-3 loss to the Kia Tigers on Tuesday night in Seoul. The Landers, who didn't have a game Tuesday but will return to action Wedne

Oct. 4, 2022

Padres' Kim Ha-seong set for 1st MLB postseason appearance

For the first time in his major league career, the San Diego Padres' South Korean infielder Kim Ha-seong will play in the postseason this month. The Padres lost to the Chicago White Sox 2-1 at Petco Park in San Diego on Sunday (local time). However, with the Milwaukee Brewers losing to the Miami Marlins 4-3 on the same day, the Padres secured one of three Wild Card berths in the National League (NL). The Padres, at 87-72, are currently holding down the second Wild Card spot, 11.5 games behi

Oct. 3, 2022

Retired KBO legends enjoying life after baseball

INCHEON-- Five years removed from his last game in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), former Samsung Lions slugger Lee Seung-yuop is getting his competitive juice flowing in different ways these days. When he is not analyzing KBO games in the broadcast booth, Lee is acting as a manager for a team on a popular baseball reality show, leading a team of retired players against high school and college stars. "We don't want to take it easy on anyone. I keep telling guys that we have to t

Sept. 18, 2022