Padres stars ready to put on show for S. Korean fans in historic MLB event

Padres-players

SEOUL, March 16 (Yonhap) — A trio of All-Stars for the San Diego Padres said Saturday they are looking forward to putting on an entertaining show for South Korean fans in a historic Major League Baseball (MLB) season-opening series.

The Padres will play the Los Angeles Dodgers in a two-game MLB Seoul Series on Wednesday and Thursday at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. These will be the first MLB games to be played in the country.

Fernando Tatis Jr. of the San Diego Padres speaks at a press conference at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on March 16, 2024, ahead of a workout for Major League Baseball’s Seoul Series. (Yonhap)

“I heard that they’re really loud and also that they’re almost standing up 90 percent of the game,” outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. said at a press conference, when asked about playing in front of South Korean fans. “So I’m really looking forward to that, especially playing in front of them. I feel like that’s going to be a really beautiful experience all the way around for them and for us. So I’m ready to give them a show.”

Star third baseman Manny Machado said playing alongside his South Korean teammate Kim Ha-seong will make the experience even more special.

Kim spent seven years in the Korea Baseball Organization before taking his talent to San Diego. And for the final five of those years, Gocheok was Kim’s home stadium with the Kiwoom Heroes.

“Definitely a long trip but excited to be here and be a part of this with him,” Machado said. “This is his hometown. So it’s been fun the last couple of days just seeing how happy he is that he’s back home. And being able to experience that and taking in the city, it’s been awesome. So it’s been a fun time.”

Machado joined Kim in a children’s clinic in Seoul earlier Saturday, and it was inspiring to see how much Kim meant to young baseball players in South Korea.

Manny Machado of the San Diego Padres speaks at a press conference at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on March 16, 2024, ahead of a workout for Major League Baseball’s Seoul Series. (Yonhap)

“These kids look up to him and they look up to us. And to be there firsthand and experience it … I’m glad I went to it,” Machado said, who also enjoyed meeting President Yoon Suk Yeol there. “That was pretty cool and then just seeing the culture … it’s different, it’s completely different and it’s something that I will definitely never forget.”

Xander Bogaerts, who will trade places with Kim and play second base this year, is playing at Gocheok for the second time in his career. He represented the Netherlands at the 2017 World Baseball Classic when Seoul hosted the preliminary round.

He said traveling to this part of the world is always challenging but he’s ready to battle through it.

“You’ve just got to fight it and just understand that it can be a little tough, especially the night games,” said Bogaerts, whose Padres will play two night games for the Seoul Series, with a day game and a night game for the exhibition portion of their stay in Seoul. “Hopefully, we have a long couple of days to try to get adjusted.”

Xander Bogaerts of the San Diego Padres speaks at a press conference at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on March 16, 2024, ahead of a workout for Major League Baseball’s Seoul Series. (Yonhap)

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