WBC South Korea on High Alert...Injuries Piling Up Before Tournament

Mun Dongju, Won Taein, and O'Brien sidelined by injuries
Kim Haseong, Song Seongmin, Edman, and Choi Jaehun also ruled out
Warning signs for South Korea's bid to finish second in group and reach quarterfinals after Japan

An emergency has hit. Bad news is piling up for the South Korean national team ahead of the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC). A large number of regulars are being ruled out due to injuries. With a lack of suitable replacements, the overall strength of the team is weakening. Ryu Jihyun, manager of South Korea's WBC national team, is struggling to piece together a new puzzle.

This stands in stark contrast to the group-stage rivals, who are fielding their best possible rosters. Japan, the champion of the 2023 tournament, is bringing all of its Major Leaguers, including Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto (both Los Angeles Dodgers), Yusei Kikuchi (Los Angeles Angels), Kazuma Okamoto (Toronto Blue Jays), and Seiya Suzuki (Chicago Cubs). Chinese Taipei, which is highly likely to compete with South Korea for a spot in the quarterfinals, has selected nine overseas-based players who play in the United States. With its regulars sidelined by injuries, South Korea now faces a situation where even reaching the quarterfinals will not be easy.

O'brien Riley, who was named the closer for South Korea's WBC team, left the squad complaining of right calf pain. AFP and Yonhap

It is especially painful that Kim Hasung (Atlanta Braves) and Song Sungmin (San Diego Padres), who were expected to lead the infield for the national team, have been ruled out with injuries. Kim Hasung stayed in Korea during the offseason and slipped on an icy road, rupturing a tendon in the middle finger of his right hand. Song Sungmin injured a muscle in his side during batting practice.

Tommy Edman (Los Angeles Dodgers), who took part in the previous tournament, also dropped out of contention after undergoing ankle surgery. Choi Jaehun (Hanwha Eagles), who had been a reliable presence behind the plate, was likewise ruled out due to a fractured finger.

Manager Ryu plans to fill the void left by Kim Hasung and Song Sungmin with Kim Juwon (NC Dinos) and Kim Hyesung (Los Angeles Dodgers). In the batting lineup, he is pinning his hopes on players such as Lee Junghoo (San Francisco Giants), Kim Doyoung (KIA Tigers), Ahn Hyeonmin (kt Wiz), Jermaine Jones (Detroit Tigers), and Shay Whitcomb (Houston Astros).

The situation on the mound is even more serious. Moon Dongju (Hanwha Eagles) and Won Taein (Samsung Lions), the pillars of the pitching staff, have been tripped up by injuries. Moon Dongju was left off the final roster due to pain in his right shoulder, and Won Taein was reduced to tears after suffering an injury to his right elbow.

Won Taein, a pillar of South Korea's pitching staff at the World Baseball Classic, has been ruled out with an elbow injury. Yonhap News Agency

Riley O'Brien (St. Louis Cardinals), who had been firing fastballs around 160 km/h in the Major Leagues, has also left the squad due to injury. He complained of pain in his right calf during his club's spring camp and stopped training. Manager Ryu had planned to use O'Brien as his closer. In O'Brien's place, Kim Taekyeon (Doosan Bears) has joined the team.

Currently holding spring training in Okinawa, Japan, Ryu intends to maximize the national team's strength through six warm-up games. In line with the WBC group-stage rule that limits pitchers to 65 pitches, the national team coaching staff is drawing up a plan to prepare as many as eight starting pitchers to cover four games. They are also weighing in which games against the Czech Republic, Japan, Chinese Taipei, and Australia they will deploy each of the so-called "1+1" paired starting units.

Ryu Jihyun, manager of South Korea's WBC national baseball team, is struggling to fill the gaps left by injuries to his regular players. Yonhap News Agency

The national team will travel to Osaka, Japan, on February 28 and play official exhibition games there against the Hanshin Tigers on March 2 and the Orix Buffaloes on March 3. South Korea's first WBC group-stage game will be against the Czech Republic on March 5. The team will then face Japan on March 7, Chinese Taipei on March 8, and Australia on March 9. South Korea must finish in the top two of its group to advance to the quarterfinals.