Jung Hoo Lee's adorable moments with pet dog triggers comparison with Shohei Ohtani - "Cuter than Decoy"
Jung Hoo Lee was introduced by the San Francisco Giants to the media during a press conference at Oracle Park on Friday. The 25-year-old center fielder signed a six-year, $113 million contract with the team and the Giants are delighted to have got their man.
Fans were relieved to have landed such a talented player and when they got a look at Lee's dog, Kao, many lost their minds. The SF Giants X account posted a video with snaps of both Lee and Kao with the caption:
"Bet you didn’t know Jung Hoo Lee comes with a plus-one 🐶"
Fans were quick to share their thoughts, with many drawing comparisons to Shohei Ohtani, whose dog, Decoy, became a major storyline during his free agency saga:
Many others were simply overcome by Kao's cuteness:
With Lee settling in San Francisco after being close to signing for the San Diego Padres, fans will be hopeful that the center fielder can make an impact in 2024.
Giants introduce Jung Hoo Lee to the media
A lot has been said of the magnitude of Jung Hoo Lee's contract, with the consensus being the Giants may have overpaid for him. Former Giants right-hander Ryan Sadowski told The Athletic:
“They paid for his ceiling. Being biased toward the Giants, I hope he hits that ceiling."
While not exactly a glowing compliment, there is certainly room for optimism when it comes to Lee. At Friday's introductory press conference, Giants president of operations, Farhan Zaidi, was bullish about Lee's future:
"We think this is an absolutely perfect fit. As we've talked about entering this offseason, our goals were to get more athletic as a team from an offensive standpoint, to make more contact and play the kind of baseball where the industry seems to be trending toward.
"Honestly, as we looked at our options this offseason, there was no player, no target who was more of a perfect fit for what we were hoping to achieve than Jung Hoo."
As for Lee, he had the following to say:
“I always have loved the Bay Area, from coming here as a young ballplayer. I am here to win, and I will always give my best for my teammates and friends. Let’s go Giants!”
With fans hungry for success and more glimpses of his dog, it will be interesting to see just how Jung Hoo Lee adapts to the MLB.