With Shohei Ohtani (28) set to move to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Major League FA market is also likely to move in earnest. Korean outfielder Lee Jung-hoo (25) who started his bid to advance to the big league by posting messages is also likely to become clearer. The San Diego Padres are considered the most influential destination, but nothing has been decided yet. The San Francisco Giants are expected to be able to bet more if they miss Ohtani.
The Athletic of the U.S. announced the current situation on the 11th (Korea time), saying, “San Diego confirmed that he had never met Ohtani during the FA period unlike six years ago,” adding, “A source familiar with the club said that a contract with FA center fielder Lee Jung-hoo was not imminent.”
Reporter Dennis Lin, who wrote the article, said, “San Diego has been interested in Lee Jung-hoo for a long time, and two outfield seats are empty. In particular, infielder Kim Ha-sung is a close former teammate of Lee Jung-hoo, who can directly help him advance to the U.S..” Park Chan-ho, an advisor to the San Diego baseball management team, also said, “Kim Ha-sung helped San Diego win a four-year, 28 million-dollar contract over the Toronto Blue Jays three years ago,” explaining that San Diego is an advantageous team to recruit Lee Jung-hoo. 온라인카지노
San Diego, which had two outfield seats lefty Juan Soto and centery Trent Grisham traded to the New York Yankees last week, seems to have also lowered its pay roll (total team salary) to 156 million dollars, setting the stage for recruitment of Lee Jung-hoo.
However, he explained that his contract with the San Diego Padres is not already established. “The San Francisco Giants are also interested in Lee Jung-hoo, and they are probably able to spend more money than the San Diego Padres,” he said, predicting that Lee will be able to spend the rest of the money on Lee as he misses Ohtani.
He also mentioned the possibility of a larger-than-expected contract, saying, “As agent Scott Boras said, it would not be surprising if he signed a five-year, $90 million contract with the Boston Red Sox last offseason.”
“Already, close to half of the teams in the league contacted me,” Boras said at the general manager’s meeting last month, expressing his interest in the player. “We brought Yoshida to the Major League. I knew that Yoshida’s technique for hitting the ball could be successful even at a high level. He also has a center fielder’s premium. He is good at defense and has power. He will bring K-pop to the Major League,” he said in a statement comparing Lee to Yoshida.
However, the reporter said, “There are reasons why I don’t think Lee Jung-hoo will be able to get a contract with as good conditions as Yoshida. As a five-year-old younger than Yoshida, Lee is a faster runner and stronger defender, and San Diego Padres is seen to have above-average skills as a center fielder in the big league. However, some evaluators still see the KBO as almost the level of Double-A. This year, the season was shortened due to ankle surgery, and he ended up with only six home runs,” pointing to the KBO league’s level and this year’s injury as unsettling factors.
Nevertheless, there is no doubt that San Diego is the right team for Lee. There is no notable FA outfielder except Cody Bellinger. “San Diego is unlikely to be proactive in recruiting Bellinger, who is expected to sign a contract worth more than 100 million U.S. dollars,” Lin said. “Lee Jung-hoo is the most suitable player for San Diego.” “Playing for one team with Kim Ha-sung may not have as much international impact as signing a contract with Ohtani, but it is something that San Diego should consider in order to have an unforgettable season.”
Meanwhile, Lee Jung-hoo, whose posting began at 10 p.m. on the 5th (8 a.m. ET), must complete his contract by 7 a.m. on the 4th of next month (5 p.m. ET on January 3rd).