"I bet everything on it" Desperate Jones-Witcom duo 'one hit in six at-bats' weak start → Will the end be prosperous

*This content was translated by AI.

The beginning was weak, but it made us look forward to a great end. This is the story of Korean fielders duo Germai Jones (29, Detroit Tigers) and Shay Witcom (28, Houston Astros), who joined the Korean national baseball team.

Jones and Witcom, who played as members of the Korean baseball team, left a regret with one hit and one strikeout from six times at bat in an exhibition match against the Hanshin Tigers at the Kyocera Dome in Okasa, Japan, on the 2nd.

With many players, especially pitchers, out due to injuries, their performance was even more regrettable as it was considered a big variable that will determine the performance of the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC).

Witcom, a super utility man who can play both inside and outside, stepped down helplessly with a catcher foul fly twice, and left a regret with a grounder to the third base in his last at-bat.

Jones was a little better. He stepped down with a fly ball to center field for the first time at bat, struck out swinging in the third inning, and made an infield hit to shortstop in the fifth inning.

They are the players who will add extra slugging power to the national team. Expectations are high with Lee Jung-hoo (San Francisco) who had two hits, Kim Do-young (KIA) who hit a solo home run on the day, and Ahn Hyun-min (KT) who hit an RBI double.

Of course, there are many tasks such as jet lag and adaptation to unfamiliar environments and colleagues. In fact, Tommy Hyun-soo Edman (31, LA Dodgers), who joined as the only Korean player at the 2023 tournament, produced painful results. He has a batting average of 0.181 (2 hits in 11 at-bats) with two RBIs and one run scored in three games (on-base plus slugging percentage) of 0.431.

It was hurt by being criticized somewhat excessively by baseball fans, but it was true that it was below expectations. Coincidentally, it was even more regrettable because he helped win the World Series for two consecutive years after moving to the Dodgers the following year, and he hoped to wear the national flag again this time to wash away the previous slump, but this time he failed to join due to injury.

Jones and Witcom must not go through this failure to expect them to advance to the second round of the tournament. Both players are eagerly preparing for the tournament.

The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) introduced Korean players who joined the national team through its YouTube channel. Jones said, "Korea is a team that really wanted to play and wanted to play. Representing Korea means a lot to me and my family, especially my mother, to play for Korea, he said. "It's really special to be on the Korean national baseball team and get the opportunity to be with my colleagues. I knew that if I got a good grade last year, I would have a chance to join, and I did my best to be selected for the national team when the opportunity came. It was important enough to give everything to me," he said.

Whitcomb said, "My mother was born and raised in Seoul. He went to the U.S. to study at university and met his father there. "It is a great honor to be able to participate in the 2026 WBC as a Korean national team thanks to my mother," he said. "It is also an honor to play for my mother."

The determination is considerable. Jones said, "I've been grinding my teeth. I want to win every game I play here. "I want to go up to the end and win the championship," he said. "I'll tell you again, I put my all on the line. I will pour out a lot of energy and do my best. I will do everything I can to make Korean baseball fans proud," he said.

Jones, who was the second batter and left fielder, quickly chased a big hit to left field in the second inning, and when he had an infield hit in the fifth inning, he sprinted all the way to first base to show his earnestness during the game.

Witcombe said, "The biggest goal is to win. I've always played for a winning team and winning is our mission. I want to bring my team's winning instinct here and win every game," he said.

Dunning, born to a Busan-born mother, also introduced himself, saying, "I'm honored to be here and I'm really looking forward to it," adding, "I'm really happy to play with the Korean baseball team and players. I think it's an amazing honor and privilege to represent Korea and represent my mother and my surgical family," he said, explaining the reason for wearing the Taegeuk mark.

"I will do my best and I hope there will be a good result by pouring everything into it," he said. "I'm excited to be with the team members and I'll try to win many games."

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*This content was translated by AI.