*This content was translated by AI.
On the 13th (Korea Standard Time), a day before the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) quarterfinal showdown between the Korean national baseball team and the Dominican Republic. Rondipo Park in Miami, the U.S., where the two teams' official training took place, showed a scene of tension and a heartwarming reunion. Dominican captain and key infielder Manny Machado (34, San Diego Padres) visited Ryu Hyun-jin (39, Hanwha Eagles), who played with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and greeted him in person.
The South Korean national team, led by head coach Ryu Ji-hyun, held official training at Rondipo Park in Miami, Florida, the U.S. later in the day. The two teams, which will compete for the semifinal berth on the 14th, were trained by South Korea taking over Baton for the last time after the Dominican Republic.
At the height of the Dominican Republic's training, Korean players who arrived at the stadium in advance gathered around the ground and watched the opponent's every move closely. The Dominican Republic is a "super team" led by legend Albert Pujols, who is certain to enter the "Honorary Hall of Fame."
There are many superstars representing Major League Baseball (MLB), including Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr. (San Diego Padres), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Toronto Blue Jays), and Juan Soto (New York Mets). Even the name itself showed our players holding their breath with the power of the batting cage.
The most eye-catching scene at the scene, where the fierce search continued, was the reunion between former colleagues. Korean Monster Ryu Hyun-jin (Hanwha), who appeared on the ground, found Machado, who was waiting for batting training, and called him out. The two players played a key role in pitching during the LA Dodgers in the past and shared the same relationship.
Machado, who turned his head to the sound of calling his name, ran with a bright smile as soon as he found Ryu Hyun-jin. The two briefly played for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2018 season. Machado gave a short greeting with a welcome hug, and the on-site reporters' camera shutters continued to sound at the friendly appearance of the two big leaguers.
Lee Jung-hoo (28, San Francisco Giants) said, "In the United States, in fact, when we go to away games, we often watch the other team players train batting. As expected, the question of how good players strike is that I think all baseball players feel the same way. I think I watched it with that kind of heart," he explained.
The meeting between the two players, who can meet as pitchers and batters again in the doomed quarterfinals, further heightened Miami's hot baseball fever. Meanwhile, the opposing head coach, Pujols, remained vigilant in an earlier interview, saying, "Korea has excellent discipline at bat and plays clean baseball without mistakes."
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*This content was translated by AI.
