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Infielder Kim Hye-seong determined to top Dodgers teammate Ohtani at WBC

Published: 07 Mar. 2026, 17:40

Korean baseball player Kim Hye-seong of Los Angeles Dodgers, right, celebrates a home run by Shay Whitcomb of the Houston Astros during a World Baseball Classic game between South Korea and the Czech Republic on March 5, at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo. [YONHAP]

Korean second baseman Kim Hye-seong has a ton of admiration for Japanese superstar and his Los Angeles Dodgers teammate Shohei Ohtani — as long as he doesn't have to face him, that is.

And that fateful showdown between the two will take place Saturday night at Tokyo Dome, for both countries' second Pool C game of the World Baseball Classic (WBC).

Korea opened the tournament with an 11-4 win over the Czech Republic on Thursday, and Japan, the defending champion, routed Chinese Taipei 13-0 on Friday.

Ohtani smoked a grand slam and had five RBIs in that victory, something Kim said he enjoyed watching precisely because he was just a spectator.

"He's so great, and it is always fun to see him when we don't play against him," Kim said at his pregame press conference Saturday. "When we are together on the Dodgers, I always root for him and want him to do well. But for today, when he hits anything in my direction, I am going to try to catch it and get him out. And I will be cheering on our pitchers to strike him out, too. He is an incredible player, but I will regard him as just one of the players on the other team."

Japan's Shohei Ohtani poses for photographs after Japan won a World Baseball Classic Pool C game against Taiwan on March 6 in Tokyo. [AP Photo/YONHAP]

This is Kim's second WBC appearance, although he did not play against Japan at the previous tournament in 2023.

Asked if he was particularly motivated for Saturday night because of his absence three years ago, Kim smiled and said, "I think the only difference between then and now is my age."

"My mindset is the same for every game. I want to win every game that I play," Kim added. "I want to play hard and leave everything out on the field. Japan is a title contender here, and it's an honor to be in the same group with them. And it will also be a great experience to play against such a team."

Kim said he grew up watching Korea get locked in some memorable battles against Japan in earlier WBC tournaments, and he got fired up watching some of the highlights from those years.

"In baseball, no one knows what can happen until the final out," Kim said. "If we stay determined and battle hard, then I think we can win this game. Everyone on the team has the same mindset."

Yonhap