WATCH: Former MLB star Austin Dean lives out pizza delivery dreams at KBO game
Former MLB star Austin Dean got to do something in a KBO game that he'd always dreamed of. However, it had nothing to do with the actual sport of baseball and everything to do with a fun fan interaction he had.
Instead of rounding the bases on his feet, Dean, biked around the ballpark, and delivered pizza to players on the field.
In between a pitch, Dean pedaled up to the catcher and pretended to deliver him a pizza, allowing him to open the box and take a slice. It's uncommon to see athletes eating during a game at any time, let alone while they're in the middle of the action and in full gear.
The crowd buzzed and cheered the interaction, clearly loving the fun and the completely unexpected nature of Dean's gesture. An active player doesn't normally do anything like this in a game, and it's not likely that something like this would occur in the MLB. The fans appreciated the fact that they were privy to it.
Austin Dean has had a good run in KBO
Austin Dean didn't have a very successful MLB career. He played five seasons altogether, with the San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals and Miami Marlins, before landing in Korea.
During his time there, he accumulated -1.5 bWAR. Over five years, he was a negative player. He had a below-average OPS+ of 81, a career .228 batting average, 11 home runs and 42 RBI. His career OPS was .676.
After one season with the LG Twins, the team that won the Korean Series in 2023, Dean earned a new contract. He put together a fabulous season in 2023: 23 home runs (third in KBO), 95 RBI (third), 163 total hits (fourth), .313 average (ninth) and an .893 OPS (fourth).
As a result, he got a raise. Dean initially earned $700,000 on his KBO contract. His second deal could pay up to $1.3 million. His base salary is up to $800,000 and the rest could come from incentives if he keeps up the good play.