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RBI leader Moon focused on WBC final despite Korea's underdog status

Published: 12 Mar. 2026, 14:02

Moon Bo-gyeong, right, takes batting practice at Florida International University Baseball Stadium in Miami on March 11 in preparation for the World Baseball Classic quarterfinal round. [YONHAP]

Korean slugger Moon Bo-gyeong said Wednesday he didn't fly all the way from Tokyo to Miami just to play one knockout game at the World Baseball Classic (WBC).

“Obviously, the goal is to reach the championship final,” Moon told reporters after practice at Florida International University Baseball Stadium. It was Korea's first session after landing in Miami, the site of its knockout round, in the wee hours of Wednesday morning. The team played four opening round games in Tokyo earlier in March.

“But first, we have to be prepared for the quarterfinals on Friday. We'll try to play a great game there,” Moon added.

Korea's opponent had not been determined at that point. The Dominican Republic and Venezuela were duking it out at loanDepot park in Miami in the final Pool D contest when Moon was speaking to reporters. The winner ended up being the Dominican Republic, who took the top seed in the group, setting up a Friday date with Korea, the Pool C runner-up, at the same stadium.

If Korea were to pull off an upset — it will clearly be an underdog against the Dominican Republic, considering the gap in talent — Moon will have to keep swinging a hot bat. He leads the WBC with 11 RBIs in four games; no other player has even reached double figures in that category.

Moon said he's not going to rest on his laurels, knowing that the second round is an entirely different animal.

“I always tend to forget about the past quickly, good or bad,” he said. “We have the quarterfinals coming up, and I won't be out there just feeling good about what I did in the first round. I have to prepare for the next game the best I can.

Moon Bo-gyeong speaks with reporters after practice at Florida International University Baseball Stadium in Miami on March 11. [YONHAP]

“Upsets can happen. We saw how the U.S. lost to Italy yesterday,” Moon said of the Pool B shocker in Houston. “We won't give up until the end and will try to do whatever it takes to win.”

The Dominican Republic not only has a strong lineup but also boasts a stout pitching staff — not that Moon is scared.

“I think nothing is impossible,” he said. “We have a strong team, and we can overcome whatever challenges that come our way.”

Moon is tied with former slugger Kim Tae-kyun for the most RBIs by a Korean player at a single WBC tournament. Kim drove in 11 runs in nine games during Korea's run to the final in 2009, and Moon can surpass him in far fewer games.

“I've never thought about my individual numbers,” Moon said. “I just want us to win the way we did in Tokyo.”

Yonhap