Korean Witcom/Jones Home Run 'Pop Pop Pop'... Why does WBC value 'blood' rather than 'nationality'

*This content was translated by AI.

The Korean national baseball team won 11-4 in the first round of the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) at Tokyo Dome in Japan on the 5th.

In the game, Moon Bo-kyung (26, LG), who hit a pre-emptive grand slam in the bottom of the first inning, and Shay Witcom (28, Houston) and Germay Jones (29, Detroit) of the national team were notable. Witcom hit a two-run shot in consecutive at-bats in the bottom of the fifth inning when the national team was chased 6-3 following a solo home run in the bottom of the third inning. Jones sealed the game with a solo arch in the bottom of the eighth inning for a 10-3 lead.

Whitcomb and Jones 'nationality' is not South Korea. Both of them were born in Korea. The reason why they can play for the Korean national team with the national flag is because of WBC's unique regulations.

Unlike other sports and international competitions, WBC can participate only with "blood pressure" rather than nationality. Nationality, residence, place of birth, and the origin of parents and grandparents alone can qualify for the national team.

After Tommy Edman (31, LA Dodgers) was selected for the national team for the first time in 2023 at the WBC, three Korean players were included in the tournament, including Witcombe and Jones and pitcher Dane Dunning (31, Seattle). Initially, there were four players, but pitcher Riley O'Brien (31, St. Louis) was injured.

Then, why did the WBC make such a rule. The reason is the 'globalization strategy of baseball' of MLB (the U.S. Major League Baseball), the organizer of the tournament.

Baseball is the most popular sport in Korea, but if it expands its scope globally, its base is weak compared to soccer. Therefore, if the participants are limited to "nationality," only a few powerhouses, including the United States, Japan, South Korea, and the Dominican Republic, are likely to monopolize international competitions.

As a result, MLB lowered the threshold for participation so that countries with major leaguers with their ancestry can become competitive, although the base of baseball in their country is narrow, such as Italy, England, Australia, and Israel. At the same time, it is calculated that the 'upward leveling' of each country's power can also be expected.

Substantial benefits were also taken into account. For MLB, it is important to distribute baseball around the world and increase broadcast rights and marketing revenue through it. Therefore, it is a strategy that if famous major league stars participate on behalf of their parents or grandparents' country, it can be very effective in attracting the attention of fans of that country.

In this WBC, there are many players participating in the tournament not only in Korea but also in other countries as "blood." The Italian national team includes a number of active MLB players, including Philadelphia pitcher Aaron Nola and Kansas City infielder Vinnie Pasquantino, while Jaz Chisom Jr. (New York Yankees) from the Bahamas will represent Britain and Harrison Bader (San Francisco), an American of Jewish descent, will represent Israel.

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*This content was translated by AI.