"I think he likes me." Moon Bo-kyung, trusting the national team manager, was 'slightly' flustered. Why did the LG No. 4 batter welcome the national team jersey despite the burden?

*This content was translated by AI.

LG Twins No. 4 batter Moon Bo-kyung (26) expressed pride in earning the national team jersey while acknowledging the pressure from the expectations placed upon him.

Ahead of the Jamsil SSG Landers game on the 11th, Moon Bo-kyung met with reporters and said, "It's good to be selected for the national team, but I feel burdened. Looking at the roster, Noh Si-hwan and I are the oldest position players. Since I'm the youngest at LG, the feeling is slightly different."

Earlier, Manager Ryu Ji-hyun (55), KBO Jeon Ryeok-gang-hwa (Chairman) Cho Gye-hyun (62), and Kim Myung-ju (53), a member of the KBOA Game Improvement Committee, officially announced the final roster for the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games Korean Baseball National Team.

One of the highlighted parts was the three wild card selections. The Lee Beon (CEO) team, composed of players aged 25 and under, set its own age limit for wild cards at 29 and under. As a result, the selected players were Doosan Bears ace Kwak Bin (27), Hanwha Eagles infielder Noh Si-hwan (26), and 'Moon Bo-mul' Moon Bo-kyung.

Even under the 25th-and-under condition, there were central batters like Kim Ju-won (24, NC Dinos), Kim Do-young (23, KIA Tigers), and Moon Hyun-bin (22, Hanwha) who could play key roles. However, the manager needed position players with more international experience to stabilize the lineup.

In that regard, Moon Bo-kyung was the perfect fit. In the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) Round 1 match against Australia held in March this year alone, Moon Bo-kyung drove in four runs, including a go-ahead two-run home run, leading South Korea to its first Round 2 (quarterfinals) appearance in 17 years. Moon Bo-kyung's 11 RBIs in Round 1 tied the record for the most RBIs by a Korean player in a single WBC tournament, set by Kim Tae-gyun in 2006.

Manager Ryu Ji-hyun explained, "I didn't see any player among those who could play first base and third base who was guaranteed to be healthy. As seen in the WBC, international tournaments always have unexpected variables. When operating with a limited roster, I judged that only Moon Bo-kyung and Noh Si-hwan could cover first base, third base, and the designated hitter."

Hearing these expectations from reporters, Moon Bo-kyung was slightly flustered, saying, "I think the manager really likes me." Yet, he smiled and added, "Since they needed me so much and selected me again, I hope I can repay that trust."

The period when the Asian Games are held (September 19 to October 4) coincides with the intense regular season standings battle in the KBO League. With the KBO League deciding not to suspend play during this Asian Games, it has become crucial for each team to fill the gaps left by players who have been selected for the national team.

Coincidentally, LG gained this experience in advance. This season, Moon Bo-kyung has not yet played in 40 games due to a lower back injury and ankle ligament injury suffered during the WBC. During that time, LG continued the race for first place by utilizing backup resources such as Koo Bon-hyuk, Cheon Seong-ho, Moon Jeong-bin, and Lee Young-bin.

Moon Bo-kyung said, "Our team did well while I was injured, so I'm not worried about that. I need to worry about myself first." He also revealed, "I need to do well at the national team, and I'm always worried. There's the burden from my performance in the WBC, and the burden of being a senior player on the national team."

Senior player Kim Young-woo (20) bowed his head and said, "Please take care of me," without knowing the senior's speed. Moon Bo-kyung joked, "(Kim) Young-woo really said he needed my help. That was a bit..." He then emphasized, "During the Hangzhou Games, I felt a strong sense that I had to do it. It was my first time on the national team, so I was extremely nervous. Even now, I feel I have to do it, but in a different sense, there is a burden. Now, I feel I need to help others."

Despite the burden being doubled, the national team jersey is always welcome and something he wants to wear. Moon Bo-kyung said, "Except for when I was in Little League, I've never been on the national team. I've always wanted to join the national team since I was young, and I didn't expect to make it after turning pro." He added, "Whether it's the off-season or anytime, if I'm selected, I'll go. Being selected for the national team has always been my biggest goal, and I want to keep going until I stop playing baseball."

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*This content was translated by AI.