“Yoshida hyung!” “See you soon, Jung-hoo” Exchange of bats between reserve big leaguer and big leaguer
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Preliminary big leaguer’ Lee Jung-hoo (25, Kiwoom) 안전놀이터and ‘active big leaguer’ Yoshida Masataka (30, Boston) exchanged bats.
2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) Japanese national team Yoshida posted a picture taken together after exchanging bats with Lee Jung-hoo on Instagram on the night of the 13th. Yoshida wrote “See you soon”. The bat Lee Jung-hoo handed to Yoshida read “To. Yoshida hyung!” was written on it.
After finishing the 2023 season, Lee Jung-hoo declared that he would challenge to enter the major leagues through the posting system. There is a possibility that Lee Jung-hoo and Yoshida will meet on the big league stage next year.
The two players have one thing in common: outfielders. Yoshida posted a batting average of 0.417 (5 hits in 12 at-bats), 2 walks, 8 RBIs and 2 runs in 4 Group B games in the 1st round of the WBC finals. In the match against Japan on the 10th, he came out as the 5th batter and hit 3 hits and 5 RBIs in 3 at-bats.
Lee Jeong-hoo recorded a batting average of 0.429 (6 hits in 14 bats), 2 walks, 5 RBIs and 4 runs in 4 games. Both played well, but the team’s fate was mixed. Japan won all four matches and advanced to the quarterfinals as first place in the group, while Korea finished the tournament in third place with two wins and two losses.
Meanwhile, Japanese fastball pitcher Roki Sasaki (22, Chiba Lotte) posted a commemorative photo taken with Czech infielder William Escala, who was hit by his ball during the start against the Czech Republic on the 11th, on Instagram. Sasaki personally visited the hotel of the Czech national team and delivered his apology.
In the photo, Escala is holding a plastic bag full of snack boxes. It was a gift Sasaki gave as an apology. It is said to be a product of Lotte, the parent group of the affiliated team.
Preliminary big leaguer’ Lee Jung-hoo (25, Kiwoom) 안전놀이터and ‘active big leaguer’ Yoshida Masataka (30, Boston) exchanged bats. 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) Japanese national team Yoshida posted a picture taken together after exchanging bats with Lee Jung-hoo on Instagram on the night of the 13th. Yoshida wrote “See you soon”. The bat Lee Jung-hoo handed to Yoshida…