WBC Group C Opener Against the Czech Republic on March 5
Pride on the Line Against Taiwan as South Korea Aims for First Quarterfinals in 17 Years
High Hopes for Strong Results With Harmony Between Overseas-Based and Domestic Players
South Korea is aiming for a spot in the quarterfinals for the first time in 17 years.
The South Korean national baseball team, participating in the World Baseball Classic (WBC), will play its first Group C match against the Czech Republic on March 5 at Tokyo Dome in Japan. South Korea will compete in the group stage against Japan, Taiwan, Australia, and the Czech Republic. The top two teams from the group will advance to the quarterfinal tournament held in Miami, Florida, in the United States starting from March 14. South Korea reached the semifinals in the inaugural WBC in 2006 and was the runner-up in the second tournament in 2009, but has failed to achieve notable results since then. In the last three editions (2013, 2017, and 2023), the team did not make it past the group stage.
Director Ryu Ji-hyun set advancing to the quarterfinals as the primary goal for the 2026 World Baseball Classic. The Asia Business Daily
Director Ryu Jihyun, along with the coaching staff, team staff, KBO headquarters, and the Performance Improvement Committee, prepared for this tournament with a strong determination to at least reach the quarterfinals. In Group C, Japan is considered the strongest team. Major League World Series champions such as Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto (both from the Los Angeles Dodgers) are participating. South Korea is expected to engage in a fierce battle with Taiwan for the second spot in the group.
After securing an 8-5 victory against the Orix Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) in an official WBC warm-up game at Kyocera Dome in Osaka on March 3, Director Ryu traveled to Tokyo, the site of the decisive matches, via Shinkansen. On March 4, the team will hold an official training session and press conference at Tokyo Dome before facing the Czech Republic the following day.
Director Ryu is placing high hopes on the harmony between overseas-based and domestic players. Six players, including captain Lee Jung-hoo (San Francisco Giants), Kim Hyesung (Los Angeles Dodgers), Ko Woo-seok (Detroit Tigers’ minor league affiliate), Jermaine Jones (Detroit), Shay Whitcomb (Houston Astros), and Dane Dunning (Seattle Mariners), joined the team right before the tournament. Kim Doyoung (KIA Tigers) and Hyunmin Ahn (kt wiz) have also maintained good form, hitting home runs in practice games.
Dane Dunning, a former Major League Baseball player, is expected to be heavily utilized in the World Baseball Classic group stage game against Taiwan. Yonhap News
The biggest hurdle to reaching the quarterfinals is the game against Taiwan, scheduled for 12:00 p.m. on March 8. South Korea has defeated Taiwan in all four previous WBC encounters, but this year, the team cannot afford to be complacent. Taiwan is the youngest team among all WBC participants, with an average age of 26.7 years. The core of the team consists of prospects from the U.S. minor leagues and NPB resources. Taiwan is expected to start Kuo Linluiyang (Nippon Ham Fighters) and Hsu Luo-hsi (SoftBank Hawks), both known for their fastballs, in the game against South Korea.
On offense, captain Chen Chieh-hsien (Uni-President Lions) is the main player to watch. He led the team to victory in the 2024 Premier12, recording a batting average of 0.625 (15 hits in 24 at-bats), 2 home runs, and 6 RBIs, including a two-run homer off Go Young-pyo (kt wiz). Lin An-ko (Seibu Lions) and Stuart Fairchild (Tampa Bay Rays) are also key threats.
Hyunmin Ahn is a powerful batter who will lead the Korean batting lineup in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Photo by Yonhap News
South Korea is likely to start Kwak Bin (Doosan Bears) as the starting pitcher against Taiwan. Veteran pitchers such as Ryu Hyunjin (Hanwha Eagles) and Noh Kyung-eun (SSG Landers) are also expected to take the mound. Dane Dunning, who pitched a scoreless outing in the warm-up game against Orix on March 3, could also make an appearance. Director Ryu stated, "Starting from Saipan in January, we completed all preparations in Okinawa and Osaka," adding, "We will show a strong performance in Tokyo."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
