Riley O'Brien of the St. Louis Cardinals, whose participation in the World Baseball Classic (WBC) for Korea was thwarted by an unexpected injury, expressed his regret.
KBO said on the 19th, "The roster enhancement committee has confirmed Doosan Bears' Kim Taek-yeon as the replacement for St. Louis Cardinals' Riley O'Brien, who is unable to participate in the WBC due to injury, and requested approval for the player substitution from the WBC organizing committee," it said.
O'Brien had been a player who expressed anticipation about joining the Korean national team even before the roster was formed. Manager Ryu Ji-hyun said when departing for the first Saipan camp in January, "O'Brien and Jones were very proactive when we communicated with them since last year. If there are no major issues, they will join."
Manager Ryu explained the conversation process with O'Brien, saying, "When we first met, he himself showed a somewhat surprised reaction because his position within the team was not very secure. But the national team coaching staff and KBO sincerely explained, and after that he showed a very proactive attitude."
Boasting a powerful fastball up to 162 km/h, O'Brien pitched 48 innings in 42 games last season and recorded a 3-1 record with 6 saves, 6 holds and a 2.06 ERA. He was scheduled to serve as Korea's closer in the WBC.
After announcing the final roster, manager Ryu Ji-hyun said, "O'Brien is a pitcher who throws a powerful fastball even in the big leagues. We are basically thinking of him as our closer. We plan to bring him in when the team needs him most in the late innings, between the seventh and ninth innings," but he ultimately fell out of the national team due to the injury setback.
Through KBO, O'Brien explained, "Recovery from the recent calf injury is progressing more slowly than expected. Accordingly, to prevent worsening the injury and to take every possible precaution, I will not be able to participate in the upcoming WBC as a member of Korea's national team."
He said with regret, "This tournament was an opportunity I was very much looking forward to, and being selected as a member of the Korean national team meant a great deal to me and my family. My family had already completed all their travel plans, so I am also very disappointed that I cannot be there in person."
O'Brien added, "Right now I must prioritize recovering my health and getting my body in shape for the upcoming season. I wish Team Korea success in the tournament, and I sincerely hope another opportunity to represent the nation will come in the future."<
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