*This content was translated by AI.
Jermai Jones (29, Detroit Tigers), a "Korean hero" who devoted himself to Korea at the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) tournament with the national flag, left a heartfelt goodbye.
On the 18th (Korean time), Jones began writing on his social network service (SNS), "I would like to thank the Korean national team for giving me the opportunity to proudly represent my roots (Korean ancestry)."
"Every moment I played with the Taegeuk mark was more precious to me than anything else in the world. It was a perfect honor to be a part of a greater value (national representation) than myself," he said.
Jones said, "I would like to thank the coaches and officials for making this whole experience possible. And I also thank my fellow players for welcoming me with open arms and making my days special in the stadium," he said.
He went on to say, "Lastly, thank you to the fans. Your strength and support have become our driving force every day. He said, "They whipped us so that we could pour everything we had."
Finally, Jones said, "Although it wasn't the result we hoped for. However, I am forever grateful for giving me the opportunity to play baseball, which I love, on behalf of Korea. I will keep this moment in my heart for the rest of my life," he promised.
The WBC can play for the country based on their parents' ancestry. As a result, three Korean-American players participated in the WBC national team, the largest number ever. Jones, Dane Dunning (Seattle Mariners), and Whitcomb (Houston Astros) were the main characters.
Jones' mother is Korean-born Mitchell Jones. After selecting the Korean national team, Jones said, "I'm absolutely delighted to have this opportunity. Thank you," he said, expressing his joy.
He made his big league debut in 2020 after being drafted in the second round by the Los Angeles Angels in 2015. He then spent his career high season in Detroit in 2025 after playing for the Baltimore Orioles in 2021, the Milwaukee Brewers in 2023, and the New York Yankees in 2024. He played in 72 games in the 2025 season, with a batting average of 0.287 (37 hits in 129 at-bats), seven homers, 23 RBIs and 21 runs, a on-base percentage of 0.387, a slugging percentage of 0.550, and an OPS of 0.937.
Jones started in left field in all five games at this tournament, and contributed a great deal to Korea's advance to the quarterfinals by batting .238 (5 hits in 21 at-bats), one homer, two RBIs, three runs and one stolen base, and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 0.702.
In particular, in the first match of the first round against the Czech Republic, he scored a decisive shot to solidify his winning spirit. In the quarterfinals against the Dominican Republic, he also made Korea's first hit against Christopher Sanchez. As a result, this hit was the only hit against Dominica with Ahn Hyun-min.
Above all, Jones played as a mood maker for the Korean team. He brightened the atmosphere of the national team with a bright smile all the time.
Recalling his first meeting with Jones during the first Saipan camp in January, Ryu Ji-hyun, the head coach, said, "At that time, it was a sensitive time for Detroit to advance to the wild card. In a difficult state to meet through the team, I personally promised to meet. They invited us directly to their Detroit accommodation. His wife was pregnant at the time. I was happy to meet my wife well and compliment her that she felt like a major league player. It was really pleasant and the doctor for the national team was very active. He praised the player who plays in the big league, saying, "I will play any role" and "I don't have to enter the lineup."
And after the competition, coach Ryu said of Korean players, "The first thing I considered while interacting with the players was 'authenticity'. Within a short period of time, I really felt the same way as our domestic players, I was in the same place, and I sympathized. In this respect, I think it was very meaningful to be a 'one team' in a short time. He said, "On the day of our breakup, he said he was very grateful to our coaching staff." I also had different times to return to my team to repay that feeling, but I saw them off at the door one by one. "I wanted to convey the feeling that we were together until the end," he said.
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*This content was translated by AI.
