'Shock' Even Ohtani and Judge said 'Already' the LA Olympics! Confirmed fact that ML players will play → Korean baseball's 'needle hole' qualification is required first

*This content was translated by AI.

Following the two major league superstars, Shohei Ohtani (32, LA Dodgers), Aaron Judge (34, New York Yankees), the "clean home run king" has virtually confirmed his will to participate in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The secretariat's permission to select athletes seems to be a given due to a series of "agreement in favor of the Olympics" by top MLB stars. However, in front of Korean baseball ahead of a spectacular feast, the harsh reality of passing the preliminary round of the needle hole called the "six-nation limit" lies.

Aaron Judge spoke about baseball's global growth at an official press conference ahead of the 2026 World Baseball Classic semifinals against the Dominican Republic at Rondipo Park in Miami, Florida on the 16th (Korea time).

"The most surprising thing about this WBC is that the best players of the best representing each country have gathered," Judge said on the day. "It is the right way for children around the world to grow baseball to see their favorite players play with national pride on TV."

Particularly noteworthy is that Judge directly mentioned the "Olympics" as a major event in the baseball world in the future. "We have the Olympics ahead of us, we have the next WBC, and the season is opening soon," Judge said. All of this is the process of developing baseball for the next generation," he said.

According to Sankei Sports and Sports Hochi, Ohtani expressed his intention to participate in the Olympics after losing to Venezuela on the 15th, saying, "I haven't won the right to participate yet, but I want to challenge for revenge," and added another icon, Judge, which symbolizes MLB.

Superstars' remarks are the decisive driving force behind the change in attitudes of MLB Secretariat and owners. The MLB Secretariat, which has been lukewarm about the Olympics due to the risk of injury and the suspension of the season, is also reportedly positively considering sending elite members of the 2028 LA Olympics due to the success of the WBC and the strong aspirations of the players as the Olympics are held in the United States. There have already been reports that only detailed provisions need to be coordinated. According to the official website of the Olympics, baseball events will be held at Dodger Stadium in mid-July.

However, the situation of Korean baseball, which has to watch the "Dream Team" showdown, in which all major leaguers will participate, is not optimistic. According to the World Baseball Softball Federation (WBSC), only six countries, including the host country, will play in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic baseball event. The Dominican Republic and Venezuela won the two tickets to the U.S. already allocated to the WBC. Fight for the remaining 3 tickets. At the WBSC Premier 12 to be held in 2027, it is expected to be distributed to one Asian country and one 'Europe-Oceania' country. It is said that one ticket will be decided without continental arrangements at the final qualifying tournament in March 2028 (tentatively scheduled).

Given that the Tokyo Olympics, which were held in 2021, were operated under a six-nation system and that the qualification for the finals itself was a "war," passing the Asian and global qualifiers is by no means an easy task as power leveling has accelerated. As MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred vowed in 2025, it is pointed out that in order for the Olympics to become a "World Cup of Baseball," Korean baseball must also be strengthened at the level of transformation, not easy preparation based on "name value."

As Judge said, world baseball is definitely growing, and the peak is expected to be LA in 2028. I wonder if Korean baseball will be able to take the lead, not the best man, on that spectacular stage.

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*This content was translated by AI.