Korea captain implores teammates not to be intimidated by Dominican Republic
Lee Jung-hoo of Korea takes part in batting practice ahead of the quarterfinal game against the Dominican Republic at the World Baseball Classic at loanDepot park in Miami, Thursday (local time). Yonhap
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 Korea will be up against the Dominican Republic at loanDepot park in Miami on Friday, with a spot in the semifinals at stake.
While Lee, outfielder for the San Francisco Giants, is one of just six Korean players here with Major League Baseball (MLB) experience, the entire Dominican lineup against Venezuela on Wednesday was filled with All-Stars. All nine Dominican batters who got the start had at least 20 home runs in MLB last year, led by 45 from Junior Caminero. 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, but Lee said he wanted to remind his teammates that they are good players, too.
"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, said he will try to leave it all on the field in 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 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 seemed more concerned about the atmosphere at loanDepot park 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 Korea squeezed into the knockout round with a dramatic win over Australia on Monday in Tokyo, Lee said his team will bank on its immaculate vibes.
"The team is full of positive energy," he said. "We've made it this far with our vigor and momentum, and we will try to keep it up."