Ryu Hyun-jin announces retirement from int'l play after loss to Dominican Republic

It's not the way he wanted to end it, but following a loss to the Dominican Republic in the quarterfinals of the World Baseball Classic (WBC) on Friday, South Korean pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin announced his retirement from international play. Ryu was the losing pitcher in a 10-0 Dominican victory over South Korea at loanDepot park in Miami, where the left-handed starter allowed three runs in 1 2/3 innings. "I think this is it for me," said Ryu, who turns 39 on March 25. "The ending is disappointing, b

March 14, 2026

Starter gets early hook, relievers struggle in big loss in quarterfinals

The veteran pitcher that the team trusted the most couldn't deliver the goods, and the relievers that followed him failed to put out the fire, as South Korea took a beating from the Dominican Republic in the quarterfinals of the World Baseball Classic (WBC) on Friday. The Dominicans shut down South Korea 10-0 at loanDepot park in Miami to advance to the semifinals. The game ended on a mercy rule with two outs in the seventh when Austin Wells' three-run home run gave the Dominicans a 10-run lead.

March 14, 2026

S. Korea humbled by Dominican Republic in quarterfinals

South Korea absorbed a 10-0 loss to the Dominican Republic in the quarterfinals of the World Baseball Classic (WBC) on Friday, as its first trip to the knockout stage lasted just one game. The Dominican Republic scored three times in the second and four more times in the third at loanDepot park in Miami, while South Korea managed just two hits. The game was called with two outs in the bottom of the seventh when Austin Wells launched a three-run homer off So Hyeong-jun to put the Dominicans up by

March 14, 2026

Veteran pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin hoping for deep run in knockout round

Veteran South Korean pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin hasn't pitched in the United States since he left the majors following the 2023 season, and now he will get to reacquaint himself with American surroundings this week, as the national team prepares for the knockout round of the World Baseball Classic. The journey begins in the quarterfinals scheduled for Friday evening in Miami, and Ryu wants to make sure it lasts longer than just that one game. "We want to play a couple more games here," Ryu said after

March 12, 2026

Captain clutch: Lee Jung-hoo delivers big hit, key catch to send S. Korea to quarterfinals

Before South Korea played a win-or-go-home game against Australia at the World Baseball Classic on Monday, team captain Lee Jung-hoo gathered his teammates in a huddle for a pregame speech. The meeting hardly seemed solemn, despite what was at stake for South Korea as it was seeking a trip to the quarterfinals. A loss would have eliminated the team from knockout contention for the fourth consecutive WBC. A South Korea win would create a tiebreaking situation with Australia and Chinese Taipei, an

March 10, 2026

Going to Miami: S. Korea beats Australia to reach quarterfinals

South Korea defeated Australia 7-2 on Monday to advance to the quarterfinals of the World Baseball Classic, getting out of the opening round for the first time in 17 years after beating steep odds to win the tiebreaker. Designated hitter Moon Bo-gyeong hammered a two-run home run as part of his four-RBI night at Tokyo Dome in the teams' final Pool C game, helping South Korea grab the final ticket to Miami. In order to move on to the quarterfinals, South Korea had to beat Australia by at least fi

March 9, 2026

S. Korean bats start off hot, cool off later vs. Japan

The South Korean bats started off hot before cooling off considerably in a deflating 8-6 loss to Japan at the World Baseball Classic on Saturday. The first three South Korean batters of the game each hit a single off starter Yusei Kikuchi, with Lee Jung-hoo capping that run with an RBI knock to left. Three batters later, Moon Bo-gyeong, an offensive hero with a grand slam in the team's 11-4 win over Czechia on Thursday, delivered a two-run double to center to give South Korea a 3-0 lead. South K

March 8, 2026

With 1st win out of way, S. Korea looking to end winless drought vs. Japan

It has been more than 10 years since South Korea last beat Japan in a best-on-best baseball game featuring professional players. It came in the semifinals of the World Baseball Softball Confederation Premier12 in November 2015, when South Korea rallied for a 4-3 win. After that, Japan went on to win 10 consecutive games. Japan nearly stretched that streak to 11 wins in an exhibition game last November before Kim Ju-won came to South Korea's rescue with a game-tying solo shot with two outs in the

March 6, 2026

S. Korea pounds Czechia in opener with 4 home runs

South Korea launched four home runs to defeat Czechia 11-4 to begin its World Baseball Classic campaign Thursday, getting off on the right foot in its quest toward a knockout spot. Shay Whitcomb, one of three US-born players of Korean descent, smacked two homers after Moon Bo-gyeong hammered a first-inning grand slam to set the early tone at Tokyo Dome in the teams' first Pool C game. Jahmai Jones added a solo blast in the eighth inning to cap South Korea's explosion. Starter So Hyeong-jun tosse

March 5, 2026

[Graphic News] South Korea aims for WBC victory

South Korea heads into the World Baseball Classic running from Thursday to March 17 with its 30-man roster now set, as announced by the Korea Baseball Organization. The roster includes seven overseas-based players, headlined by San Francisco Giants outfielder Lee Jung-hoo and Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Kim Hye-seong, along with MLB and Korean American big leaguers. National team manager Ryu Ji-yun will lead the squad. Right-hander Go Woo-suk, playing in the minors under the Detroit Tigers, al

March 5, 2026

Korean American players look to shine for Team Korea at 2026 WBC

South Korea’s roster for the 2026 World Baseball Classic boasts an impressive roster of six US-based players. Among them, three in particular stand out: They neither speak Korean fluently nor have ever been part of the Korean Baseball Organization. For Jahmai Jones of the Detroit Tigers, Dane Dunning of the Seattle Mariners and Shay Whitcomb of the Houston Astros, joining Team Korea is about honoring their mothers’ homeland. With the trio included, this marks the largest group of foreign players

March 4, 2026

[Graphic News] New York Yankees lead greatest sports teams list

British sports outlet GiveMeSport selected the 15 greatest teams in world sports history, calling the process extremely difficult given the fierce competitiveness of global sport. Soccer accounted for the largest share, with six teams making the list, including AC Milan’s late-1980s European champions, two legendary eras of Real Madrid, Johan Cruyff’s Ajax, Pele’s dominant 1970 Brazil and Barcelona’s 2008–2011 side led by Lionel Messi, which ranked first among soccer teams and second overall. Am

Jan. 21, 2026

Cardinals' half-Korean pitcher O'Brien plans to pitch for S. Korea at WBC: report

Riley O'Brien, the half-Korean pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, plans to pitch for South Korea at the World Baseball Classic in March, a report out of St. Louis said Saturday (local time). Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch said O'Brien, 30, accepted the invitation from the South Korean national team and is working on plans to travel to Japan, where South Korea will play all four opening-round games. The tournament goes from March 5 to 17. Thanks to loose eligibility rules for the

Jan. 18, 2026

Here’s a look at KBO’s foreign player lineups for the 2026 season

With the Korean Baseball League's 2026 season set to begin March 28, all 10 teams have now locked in their foreign player lineups, setting the stage for how the standings could shake out in the upcoming season. Here are some notable signings on the 2026 roster of foreign players. Top earners The highest-paid non-Korean set to play in the league next year is pitcher James Naile for the Kia Tigers. The 32-year-old has agreed to a one-year extension with the team, worth $2 million, including a $20

Dec. 30, 2025

After years in KBO obscurity, Song Sung-mun lands MLB deal with Padres

In an unlikely career arc sure to inspire those toiling in obscurity, South Korean baseball All-Star Song Sung-mun has landed a major league deal after being on the verge of flaming out as a bit player. The San Diego Padres announced their signing of Song to a four-year contract on Monday (local time). He is the 10th player from the Korea Baseball Organization to join a Major League Baseball club through the posting process. Song, 29, was the 49th overall pick by the Kiwoom Heroes at the 2014 KB

Dec. 23, 2025