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| Photo: KBS |
[Sports Today reporter Shin Seoyoung] South Korea’s baseball team, which reached the 2026 WBC quarterfinals for the first time in 17 years, could not get past tournament favorite the Dominican Republic.
Commentator Chan-ho Park and the “dynamic duo” Yong-taek Park and Dae-hyung Lee, who joined the quarterfinal broadcast, urged the younger players to treat the defeat as a learning moment. “Use this opportunity to measure where you stand and what skills to develop next,” they said. Broadcaster Dong-geun Lee added, “It was a short night, but we saw the world’s best pitchers and hitters today.”
South Korea’s run ended on the morning of the 14th at Miami’s LoanDepot Park with a 10-0 loss under the mercy rule to the Dominican Republic in the WBC quarterfinals.
Before the game, the Dominican roster showed its MLB All-Star–level depth. Yong-taek Park noted, “The Dominican team’s combined payroll tops $300 million. South Korea’s is around $10 million.”
Dong-geun Lee warned viewers that with starters like Sánchez and several arms that exceed 100 mph (about 160 km/h), the lineup was intimidating. Chan-ho Park added that Sánchez’s pregame comment — “I don’t know anyone except Lee Jong Hoo” — meant Korea was unfamiliar to them, and that unfamiliarity can sometimes work to an opponent’s advantage. He wished the Korean team well.
Unfortunately, Korea fell behind early. Starter Hyun-jin Ryu allowed runs that put Korea down 3-0 by the bottom of the second. In the third, consecutive bases-loaded walks pushed the game to 7-0 and dimmed Korea’s chances. Chan-ho Park said, “The Dominican Republic really fields top Major League talent,” but urged his pitchers not to hand free passes to the opposition and to face the challenge head-on: “Don’t give away walks — go out there and show just how good those players are.”
Frustrated by a lineup that couldn’t get going, Yong-taek Park observed, “Our hitters hadn’t seen pitches like the Dominican staff throws, so they struggled to adjust,” expressing his disappointment from a batter’s perspective.
A three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh sealed the 10-0 mercy-rule loss. Dae-hyung Lee added, “They should have played in a way that left no regrets; it was a somewhat frustrating game.”
After the game, Chan-ho Park gathered his thoughts on KBS Sports’ live YouTube show “Baro Ddeutdam,” saying, “We hadn’t cleared this hurdle to the main rounds in 17 years. Bringing joy by reaching the quarterfinals and seeing Korean baseball grow makes me proud.”
He also called for continued development: “Having seen the world’s best pitchers up close, I hope this becomes a learning experience that fuels growth. We got too caught up in how dominant the opponent was and played too passively. Avoidable mistakes — like that first-batter walk — became turning points,” he lamented.
The four panelists then predicted the 2026 WBC champion. Yong-taek Park said, “From the start, I thought the Dominican Republic was the strongest.” Dong-geun Lee disagreed: “I think Puerto Rico is the most complete team.” Dae-hyung Lee backed the Dominican Republic, noting, “Their pitchers have serious stuff; even Japanese hitters will have trouble handling them.”
Finally, Chan-ho Park smiled and began, “If I go on, this will get long…” before offering his take: “It depends on how teams feel that day. Japan brings the momentum of a recent championship, the Dominican Republic has power, and the U.S. has calm, steady play plus home-field advantage.” He closed by urging Korean players to reflect and improve: “I hope our players use this chance to think harder about what they need to develop.” Dong-geun Lee wrapped the segment, saying, “I hope next time we can say, ‘We advanced to the quarterfinals again.’”
[Sports Today reporter Shin Seoyoung sports@stoo.com]
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