KBO overhauls national team structure after humbling World Baseball Classic [REWIND 2023]

Korea made an early exit from the 2023 World Baseball Classic after a surprising 8-7 loss to Australia on Pool B’s opening day severely diminished the national team’s chances of qualifying to the quarterfinal round.

Korea's Park Hae-min reacts after he bunts for a single during the third inning of the first round Pool B game between against China at the World Baseball Classic at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on March 13. [AP/YONHAP]

Korea made an early exit from the 2023 World Baseball Classic after a surprising 8-7 loss to Australia on Pool B’s opening day severely diminished the national team’s chances of qualifying to the quarterfinal round.

Later, a tough, however expected, 13-4 loss to Japan sealed the deal and sent the Korean team home after the group stage for the third time in a row.

It was a disappointing finish for Korea, who entered the postponed WBC, originally set to take place in 2021, with a stacked international squad. San Diego Padres’ Kim Ha-seong, along with Tommy Edman of the St. Louis Cardinals and Choi Ji-man of the Pittsburgh Pirates had joined Korea’s 30-man team from the big leagues.

In response to the early exit, the KBO announced plans to completely revamp how it handles the Korean national team.

The league began appointing a permanent manager to oversee the national team, a radical change from the former system of picking a KBO manager when an international tournament comes around, with a full staff and the possibility of international friendlies in the future.

BY MARY YANG [mary.yang@joongang.co.kr]