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South Korea captain Lee Jung-hoo said Thursday he doesn't want his teammates to be intimidated by their opponents in the quarterfinals of the World Baseball Classic (WBC). Lee and South Korea will be up against the Dominican Republic at loanDepot park in Miami on Friday, with a spot in the semifinals at stake.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Lee, an outfielder for the San Francisco Giants, is one of just six South Korean players with Major League Baseball (MLB) experience. The Dominican lineup, which played against Venezuela on Wednesday, was comprised entirely of All-Stars. All nine Dominican batters who started had at least 20 home runs in MLB last year, with Junior Caminero leading the charge with 45. He batted sixth behind more established players such as Juan Soto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Manny Machado.
The Dominicans are leading the WBC with 13 home runs after four games. However, Lee emphasized to his teammates that they are equally ca pable players. "Many Dominican players are stars that we've all watched on TV, and our guys may feel intimidated," Lee said at a press conference in Miami. "But we're professional ballplayers all the same. This game will not be one between professionals and high school players. We are here representing Korea."
Lee, who is batting .278 (5-for-18) with two doubles, stated his commitment to delivering his best performance in South Korea's first WBC knockout game since 2009. "I don't want to have regrets when I look back on this game the next day," he said. "No matter what the outcome is, I want to play the best I can and not have regrets at the end."
Lee and Detroit Tigers outfielder Jahmai Jones are the only two South Korean batters who have faced the Dominican starter for Friday, Cristopher Sanchez. The Philadelphia Phillies left-hander was the runner-up in the National League Cy Young Award voting in 2025, after going 13-5 with a 2.50 ERA and 212 strikeouts in 202 innings. In 2025, Lee went 1-for-3 with a strikeout against the lefty, while Jones batted 2-for-3 with a strikeout.
"As everyone knows, Sanchez is a great pitcher. Jones and I have been talking with our teammates about Sanchez and what to expect from him," Lee said. "Facing these great pitchers will be invaluable for Korean baseball going forward. We'll do our homework and try to get good results."
Lee expressed concern about the atmosphere at loanDepot park more than the players his team will face. "Even though this is the U.S., it felt like a home stadium for the Dominican Republic," Lee said of the Dominican Republic-Venezuela showdown he attended the previous day. "The cheering from the crowd can be overwhelming, and it's important for us to stay focused on our own plays."
After South Korea squeezed into the knockout round with a dramatic win over Australia on Monday in Tokyo, Lee said his team will rely on its positive energy. "The team is full of positive ene rgy," he said. "We've made it this far with our vigor and momentum, and we will try to keep it up."
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