'Out at Home from First Base': Lee Jeong-hoo Furious! "Dodgers Catcher Swore at LEE" Local Allegations Ignite

*This content was translated by AI.

Did the intensity of the rivalry cross the line? The classic rivalry between the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers is flaring up once again. In the United States, allegations that Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing (25) used profanity against Lee Jeong-hoo (28, San Francisco Giants) have come under scrutiny.

On the 22nd (Korean time), San Francisco secured a 3-1 victory over the Dodgers in a home game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, California, for the "2026 Major League Baseball (MLB)" season. However, more than the joy of victory, local fans' attention focused on Lee Jeong-hoo's physical condition after being substituted during the game and the "psychological warfare" that unfolded within the stadium.

The controversial incident occurred in the bottom of the 6th inning. With two outs, Lee Jeong-hoo completed a multi-hit game with a ground ball to right field. During Elliott Ramos's subsequent single to center field, Lee aggressively slid home from first base. The relay play, moving from Dodgers center fielder Alex Colome to second baseman Alex Freeland, showed no mercy. Lee was called out by a hair's breadth at home plate, and in the process, he collided hard with the ground, complaining of thigh pain.

The controversy erupted immediately after the out. As Lee Jeong-hoo struggled to get up while in pain, allegations spread rapidly via social media alongside broadcast footage, claiming that Dodgers catcher Rushing, heading toward the dugout, directed profanity ("FXXK EM") toward Lee. Analysts suggest that the reason Lee, who usually restrains his emotional expressions, roared with unusual anger may have been due to Rushing's provocation.

Local fans are strongly criticizing Rushing's actions, with comments such as, "He crossed the line in front of a player with injury concerns," and "Does he think he's untouchable just because he's hitting well lately (batting average 0.414)?" Lee was subsequently substituted for Gerard Encarnacion and left the game.

According to multiple U.S. media outlets, including Mercury News, San Francisco manager Tony Vitello defended the player after the game, stating, "Lee Jeong-hoo is always a player who gives his all," and "His thigh, which was injured during a previous road trip to Washington, was re-irritated during the slide, so he was substituted as a precaution. No one, including the third-base coach who sent him home, is at fault."

Lee Jeong-hoo also remained calm during an interview with reporters, saying, "I'm not too worried about my physical condition," but the anger in the local community is not easily subsiding. This is partly because the Dodgers and San Francisco are traditional rivals in the same division.

Meanwhile, today's game was also heated as a "Korean Derby." Lee Jeong-hoo performed brilliantly against Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto, recording 2 hits in 3 at-bats with 1 run batted in, including a go-ahead RBI single. Dodgers' Kim Hye-sung also made his presence felt with 1 hit in 1 at-bat, 1 run batted in, and 1 walk, scoring the team's only run.

Regardless of the game's outcome, this match, marred by allegations of profanity directed at Lee Jeong-hoo, has added fuel to the rivalry between the two teams. San Francisco and the Dodgers will face off in the decisive second game of the series at the same venue on the 23rd. Fans' attention is focused on whether Lee Jeong-hoo will play and on the reunion with Rushing, who is at the center of the controversy.

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*This content was translated by AI.