Choi Ji-hoon (31, Pittsburgh), who is playing in the major leagues, failed to join the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) national team, and Choi Ji-hoon (25, SSG) was selected as a substitute player.
The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) announced on the 6th that “Choi Ji-hoon will join the 2023 WBC national team.” “On the 5th, WBCI (World Baseball Classic Inc), the WBC organizing committee, informed the KBO that only Choi could not compete in the WBC,” he said.
Pittsburgh expressed its medical objection to the WBCI, citing only Choi’s surgical history. It is interpreted as an intention to prevent the recurrence of the injury of Choi Ji-man, who underwent surgery to remove bone fragments in his right elbow last year. The WBCI held an injury review committee to deliberate on whether or not to allow Choi Ji-man to participate in the WBC, and decided as such.
This is not the scenario that national team coach Lee Kang-cheol wanted. On the 27th of last month, he emphasized in an interview with reporters before leaving for the US spring camp to prepare for the WBC, “It is the best scenario for Choi Ji-man to join. We have to prepare for the case of misfire, but Choi only comes first.” 스포츠토토
Coach Lee and coaching staff, and the Technical Committee, including WBC Technical Committee Chair Beom-hyun Cho, prepared for a difficult situation in which Choi Ji-man could join. He has been preparing for the selection of additional players while undergoing in-depth review. Coach Lee left open the possibility that “If Choi Ji-man’s joining fails, he may choose a player in a position other than first baseman.”
Eventually, what we feared happened. The WBCI made the final judgment that Choi Ji-man could not compete in the WBC.
Accordingly, the national team selected Choi Ji-hoon as a substitute. Choi Ji-hoon played in 144 games in the 2022 season and recorded a batting average of 3.4, 10 homers, 61 RBIs and 93 points OPS of 0.789. While playing as a starting outfielder, he contributed to the team’s KBO League wire-to-wire championship and its first combined championship.
The national team will submit the final 30-man entry, including Choi Ji-hoon, to the WBCI on the 8th.