"My mother couldn't talk to me when she saw me in the uniform of the Korean national team." Dunning is really serious about the national team

*This content was translated by AI.

The national flag was already engraved in the chest of Dane Dunning (32, Seattle Mariners), a mixed-race Korean right-hander who is scheduled to participate in the World Baseball Classic (WBC) in March. His voice, which was about to join the national team, was full of excitement and sincerity.

In a telephone interview with MLB Network Radio in the U.S. on the 14th (Korea Standard Time), Dunning expressed deep pride in his roots, saying, "It is definitely a tremendous honor to represent the Korean culture where my mother grew up and to represent her mother's family."

Dunning was listed on the Korean national team list announced by MLB Network, a broadcaster hosted by WBC, on the 6th. According to Ryu Ji-hyun (55), the national team coach, the list of mixed-race Korean players has been selected since March last year and confirmed the players' intentions through continuous contact. In the end, Dunning is also believed to have readily accepted joining the national team. According to Dunning's SNS, Dunning's mother is a Korean named "Tried."

Referring to the time when national team officials visited him in person and delivered the uniform, Dunning said, "On the spot, I made a video call to my mother in Korea wearing the uniform. My mother, who saw me in uniform, was so happy that she was so moved that she was speechless," he said.

In fact, Dunning is considered a proven right-hander on the major league stage. Although his performance in the last 2025 season was somewhat sluggish, he also recorded an outstanding performance of 12 wins, 7 losses and an ERA of 3.70 in 35 games (26 starts) for the Texas Rangers in the 2023 season. He played in the bullpen three times in the 2023 World Series and helped Texas win with a zero ERA without winning or losing. He was released by the Atlanta Braves in October last year, but signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners in January 2026, which included an invitation to spring camp.

In a telephone interview, Dunning said it was not his first attempt to join the Korean national team. He confessed, "I have expressed my desire to play for the Korean national team several times since many years ago."

At the time of the 2023 tournament, he had a strong will to participate, but unfortunately, it was canceled because his physical condition did not follow because it was right after hip surgery. Dunning said, "I was so disappointed because I couldn't play at the time," stressing how special it means to him to finally join the national team, which was finally made after a long wait.

Finally, Dunning said, "I'm really excited and honored to be a part of the Korean national team at WBC and play," strengthening his will to give fans victory. Baseball fans around the world are paying attention to what kind of pitch Dunning will show on the mound this March, with his mother's tears in his heart.

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*This content was translated by AI.