Manager Ryu Ji-hyun's South Korean team starts its World Baseball Classic Pool C schedule against Czechia in Tokyo, pursuing a quarterfinal berth for the first time in 17 years since reaching the 2009 final. The squad relies on young sluggers and experienced hitters to overcome past early exits.
South Korea has not advanced beyond the first round of the World Baseball Classic since reaching the 2009 final, losing its opening game in 2013, 2017, and 2023. In Pool C this year, the team faces Czechia at 7 p.m. Thursday, Japan on Saturday at 7 p.m., Chinese Taipei on Sunday at noon, and Australia on Monday at 7 p.m., with the top two teams advancing to the quarterfinals.
Manager Ryu Ji-hyun, a former star shortstop who coached the 2006 semifinal team and the 2013 first-round exit squad, praised his players' mindset. "Ever since we played exhibition games last November, I could sense the players' commitment and genuine attitude toward the national team," he said at a pretournament press conference in Tokyo Dome on Wednesday. The team adopted an "airplane" celebration after home runs in recent exhibitions against Japanese clubs, signaling their aim to reach Miami.
The lineup features young right-handed sluggers Kim Do-yeong and Ahn Hyun-min, both 22, alongside U.S.-born players of Korean descent Shay Whitcomb of the Houston Astros and Jahmai Jones of the Detroit Tigers. All hit home runs in Tuesday's 8-5 exhibition win over the Orix Buffaloes. Veterans Lee Jung-hoo of the San Francisco Giants, 27 and wearing the captain's "C," and Kim Hye-seong of the Los Angeles Dodgers provide consistent .300 hitting and leadership.
Defensively, the team offers versatility, with players like Moon Bo-gyeong and Roh Si-hwan capable at first base, Kim Hye-seong excelling at second, and outfield options including Park Hae-min. Catchers Park Dong-won and Kim Hyung-jun add power. Australia's manager Dave Nilsson plans to use pitchers with KBO experience, including Lachlan Wells, who said, "The boys have been coming to these tournaments for a while now and have played against Korea multiple times."
Pitching remains a concern, with reliever Riley O'Brien sidelined by injury and the bullpen issuing eight walks in 4 2/3 innings Tuesday. Starters include So Hyeong-jun of the KT Wiz against Czechia and Jeong Woo-joo of the Hanwha Eagles next, limited to 65 pitches. Ryu emphasized, "All four games are important, but it's especially important to win the first game while having things go the way we map them out." New rules like a shorter pitch clock and minimum three batters faced will apply.
