Padres star Ha-seong Kim reacts to the announcement of MLB Korea Games: "I cannot express in words how happy I am"
The San Diego Padres and Major League Baseball confirmed that the first-ever regular season games in Korea will take place on the first day of next season. On March 20 and 21, 2024, the Padres and LA Dodgers will play each other in the "Seoul Series" in the Gocheok Sky Dome in South Korea.
Ha-Seong Kim, a second baseman for the Friars and a former KBO star, is thrilled and honored by the MLB event.
Kim described in a video that the team posted what it means to him for this event to happen.
"When I joined the Padres, I never would have imagined I would have the opportunity to represent the San Diego Padres and Major League Baseball in my home country. I cannot express in words how happy I am to be able to play in Korea in a San Diego uniform. It will be a very special memory for me to invite my teammates, staff, and coaches to our country to experience the great opportunity together."
This is going to be an extra special homecoming for Ha-Seong Kim 🥹 https://t.co/mSFNIjnH6f
After seven fantastic seasons with the Nexen/Kiwoom Heroes, Kim joined the Friars in 2021.
Padres star Ha-seong Kim is a fan favorite
At the conclusion of 2020, Kim committed to a four-year, $28 million contract with San Diego. He has established himself as one of baseball's top defensive infielders throughout his tenure with the outfit, becoming a fan favorite in the process.
LA and San Diego have close ties to Korea. The Dodgers became one of the most adored big-league teams in Korea thanks to right-handed pitcher Park Chan-ho, the first Korean player in MLB history, who played for them from 1994 to 2001 and again in 2008.
Currently, Park serves as a front-office advisor for the Friars. In the middle of the 2000s, pitcher Seo Jae-weong and infielder Choi Hee-seop both wore Dodger blue.
From 2013 through 2019, left-hander Ryu Hyun-jin was a staple of the Dodgers' starting rotation. Ryu was the first Korean pitcher to start an MLB All-Star Game in his final season there when he had the lowest ERA in the majors (2.32).
Are you excited about the "Seoul Series?"