Go Woo-seok (Miami Marlins) has been going through a lot of things since entering the U.S., including going to the minors and being traded.
The highly anticipated ‘Korean major leaguers’ are showing little activity in the early part of the season. We are going through a difficult time due to injuries and poor performance.
Ahead of the 2024 season, Ryu Hyun-jin (37, Hanwha Eagles) made a U-turn to the KBO League, but up to five players were still expected to play in the major league.
Kim Ha-seong (29, San Diego Padres), who became the first Asian infielder to receive a Gold Glove last year, and Bae Ji-hwan (25, Pittsburgh Pirates), who showed potential as a 'utility player'. In addition, Lee Jeong-hoo (26, San Francisco Giants), who dominated the KBO League and signed a $100 million contract, and Go Woo-seok (26, Miami Marlins), the league's best closing pitcher. And there was major league veteran Choi Ji-man (33, New York Mets).
However, even though it has been more than a month since the opening of the Major League Baseball season, the performance of Korean players is still lackluster.
Lee Jeong-hoo, who received the most attention, suffered an unexpected injury. He dislocated his shoulder after hitting the fence during defense in the game against the Cincinnati Reds on the 13th (Korean time).
As a result of the examination, 'structural damage' was confirmed, raising the possibility that there was damage to his shoulder joint or ligaments. Soon he goes to Los Angeles and meets Dr. Neil Elatrace, a 'sports guru'.
Whether surgery or the exact length of absence has not yet been confirmed, but the situation does not look very good at the moment. There is a high possibility that he will not be seen in the game for some time. Before the injury, he was adjusting smoothly to the big leagues with a batting average of 0.262, 2 home runs, and 8 RBIs, so the injury feels even more unfortunate. Kim Ha-seong, whose defensive position was fixed at shortstop this season, has gone cold with the bat. As of the 17th, he had a batting average of only 0.204 in 46 games and was in danger of falling to 100. He has 5 home runs and 21 RBIs, so his productivity relative to his batting average is not bad, but it is true that he falls far short of expectations. In the opening game, he was placed at number 5 in the 'cleanup trio', but his batting order has gradually moved down and he is now the number 9 hitter. Even though the shortstop position emphasizes defense, his current performance is very disappointing. The defense is also unstable. Kim Ha-seong, who made 8 errors in 2022 when he was a full-time shortstop and 7 errors last year when he played second base, shortstop, and third base, has already recorded 6 errors in 46 games this season. It's hard to judge his defense simply by the number of errors he makes, but it's definitely not the stability he's shown over the past two years. Bae Ji-hwan, Ko Woo-seok, and Choi Ji-man are unable to play in the major leagues at all. Bae Ji-hwan suffered a left hip injury ahead of the season and was not included in the opening lineup. Even after recovering last month, he has rarely been called up. Bae Ji-hwan is currently showing a different level of performance in the minor league Triple A, with a batting average of 0.337, 3 home runs, 11 RBI, and OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 0.955. In addition, he showed the ability to play both the inside and outfield, including second base and center field, last year. But somehow, Pittsburgh has recently been filling the infield void with other players. Go Woo-seok, who is taking on the major league challenge, is also going through a difficult time. He was not included in the opening lineup as he failed to inspire confidence in the exhibition game and Seoul Series special match, and started the season in Double A of the minor league under San Diego. Even at the Double A level, he did not provide trust, with 2 losses and 1 save in 10 games, and an ERA of only 4.38, and was eventually traded to Miami 4 months after signing the contract. Go Woo-seok, who is starting again on the Triple A stage after his transfer, fortunately appears to be finding stability. He has allowed 1 run in 4 innings in 3 games since his transfer. It is no exaggeration to say that Choi Ji-man is at the crossroads of extending or stopping his life in the United States. He signed a contract with the Mets before the season and once again challenged the major league stage, but there was no way he would be called up after only hitting 100% in the minor league. To make matters worse, he recently suffered a right rib injury and was unable to play. Since the 15th, he has been playing again, but his prospects are not bright. Choi Ji-man, who did not exercise the conditions for opting out (contract termination) on the 1st even though he met them, can opt out once more on June 2nd. If things are not going well for the Mets, he may become a free agent again and seek a transfer to another team. 스포츠토토
Are you going back to school this year?""Yes.
"I'll give you my contact information, so contact me."
You'll get married soon, right?"
Should I go out with Yeon-na, too?"
Guni and Jeong Tae-nim are paying a lot of attention.
Hyunyoung, take good care of yourself.
