A projection has emerged that the only Korean player to appear in the major league season opener might be San Francisco Giants' Lee Jung-hoo (28).
MLB.com, the official major league outlet, released on the 10th (Korean time) the expected opening day starting lineups for the 30 major league teams. Among this year's major leaguers Lee Jung-hoo, Kim Ha-seong (Atlanta), Kim Hye-seong (Dodgers) and Song Seong-moon (San Diego), the only player expected to be listed in an opening day starting lineup was Lee Jung-hoo.
Lee Jung-hoo, who signed a six-year, $113 million contract with San Francisco after the 2023 season (about 164.8 billion won), is entering his third major league season. Over the past two seasons he played 187 games with a .265 batting average (705 at-bats, 187 hits), 10 home runs, 63 RBIs, 88 runs, 12 stolen bases and an OPS of .715. After suffering a shoulder injury in his debut season that limited him to 37 games, Lee Jung-hoo played his first full season last year. This year is expected to be a season in which he shows he has adjusted to the major leagues in earnest.
MLB.com projected San Francisco's opening day starting lineup as Luis Arraez (second base), Rafael Devers (first base), Willy Adames (shortstop), Matt Chapman (third base), Lee Jung-hoo (right field), Heliot Ramos (left field), Harrison Bader (center field), Bryce Eldridge (designated hitter) and Patrick Bailey (catcher). Lee Jung-hoo would give up the center field spot to new arrival Bader and bat fifth in right field.
Kim Ha-seong, who signed a one-year, $20 million contract with Atlanta this year (about 29.1 billion won), suffered an injury after slipping on ice during the offseason and is not expected to return until at least May. Kim has appeared in 588 major league games with a .242 batting average (1,896 at-bats, 458 hits), 52 home runs, 217 RBIs, 248 runs, 84 stolen bases and an OPS of .701.
With Kim Ha-seong out injured, MLB.com predicted Atlanta's opening day starting lineup would be Ronald Acuña Jr. (right field), Jurickson Profar (designated hitter), Matt Olson (first base), Austin Riley (third base), Drake Baldwin (catcher), Ozzie Albies (second base), Michael Harris II (center field), Eli White (left field) and Mauricio Dubón (shortstop).
Kim Hye-seong, who signed a 3+2-year deal last season with the Dodgers worth up to $22 million (about 32.1 billion won), finished his rookie season with a .280 batting average in 71 games (161 at-bats, 45 hits), three home runs, 17 RBIs, 19 runs, 13 stolen bases and an OPS of .699. This year he will play an important second major league season.
The Dodgers, a powerhouse that won back-to-back World Series titles last season, boast the deepest roster in the major leagues. Utility player Kim Hye-seong faces long odds to crack the opening day starting lineup. MLB.com projected the Dodgers' opening day starting lineup as Shohei Ohtani (designated hitter), Kyle Tucker (right field), Mookie Betts (shortstop), Freddie Freeman (first base), Will Smith (catcher), Max Muncy (third base), Teoscar Hernández (left field), Andy Pages (center field) and Miguel Rojas (second base).
Song Seong-moon is set to make his big league debut this season. After last season he signed a four-year, $15 million contract with San Diego (about 21.9 billion won). He is expected to be the starting second baseman, but he was left out of the projected opening day starting lineup. MLB.com projected Fernando Tatis Jr. (right field), Manny Machado (third base), Jackson Merrill (center field), Ramon Loriano (left field), Miguel Andújar (designated hitter), Gavin Sheets (first base), Xander Bogaerts (shortstop), Jake Cronenworth (second base) and Freddy Fermín (catcher) to start.
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