■ Korea reaches WBC quarterfinals for first time in 17 years… Behind the scenes of the Tokyo Dome miracle
Manager Ryu Ji-hyun’s quick call after a starter’s injury bought critical time
Moon Bo-kyung’s two-run blast gave Korea an early lead; he returned to the dugout shouting, “We can do this”
KBO courted overseas players; LG dispatched its lead pitching coach
Manager Ryu Ji-hyun’s quick call after a starter’s injury bought critical time
Moon Bo-kyung’s two-run blast gave Korea an early lead; he returned to the dugout shouting, “We can do this”
KBO courted overseas players; LG dispatched its lead pitching coach
The final out of the ninth dropped into Moon Bo-kyung’s (LG) glove and the South Korean dugout exploded. Players embraced as cheers and tears mixed. Manager Ryu Ji-hyun — who had said before the game that the team’s hard work felt overlooked and vowed to go all out — closer Jo Byung-hyun (SSG), captain Lee Jung-hoo (San Francisco Giants) with a game-saving catch, and hot-hitter Moon Bo-kyung all played starring roles in what felt like an unscripted drama.
South Korea advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Baseball Classic. On the night of March 9 at Tokyo Dome, Korea beat Australia 7-2 in the final Pool C game. Korea, Australia and Taiwan all finished 2-2, but Korea advanced on the lowest runs-allowed ratio, posting 0.1228 to Taiwan’s and Australia’s 0.1296 — a razor-thin edge.
It’s Korea’s first WBC quarterfinal appearance since 2009 — a 17-year drought ended. After the game, the area behind the third-base dugout turned into a celebration full of tears and jubilation. Emotions remained high in the mixed zone as well.
◇ The manager’s emotion= Ryu couldn’t hold back tears. Asked if this was the most memorable win of his career, he paused and then said, “I thought I wouldn’t cry anymore, but here I am. I’ll allow myself to cry today.”
Known during his playing days for his savvy, Ryu’s in-game management paid off. He bought precious time during a pitching change after starter Sohn Ju-young (LG) exited the mound complaining of elbow pain despite a scoreless first inning. Ryu had Sohn briefly return to the mound to complete the official injured-player substitution, which gave No Kyung-eun (SSG) enough time to warm up. No promptly tossed two scoreless innings. “He shut down two innings in an unplanned situation. I truly respect him,” Ryu said. No added, “I feel like I proved why I’m here.”
Lee Jung-hoo, whose diving catch in the ninth preserved the win, deflected credit to closer Jo Byung-hyun. Jo entered with one out in the eighth and recorded the final five outs, closing out a 6-2 lead. “He must have felt enormous pressure, but he showed growth,” Lee said. Jo smiled: “When the ball came off the bat I thought, ‘This is bad,’ but Jung-ho was exactly where he needed to be. I’m really grateful.”
◇ A three-pronged effort= The quarterfinal berth was the product of coordinated effort: KBO support, club cooperation and thorough on-the-ground preparation. This tournament’s approach marked a clear shift from the past. Learning from the 2023 failure, the focus was on creating an environment where the team could succeed — exemplified by an unusually early national-team camp in January.
The KBO also changed how it engaged overseas players. Officials made two trips to the U.S. last year, meeting players and families in person to secure commitments. They brought gifts for families and prepared jerseys with players’ names to make a personal pitch. That effort helped bring Jermaine Jones (Detroit Tigers), Shane Whitcomb (Houston Astros) and Dane Dunning (Seattle Mariners) onto the roster. Despite the roster strain, clubs stepped up: LG sent its head pitching coach, its head trainer and seven players to the national team. KBO Secretary General Park Geun-chan said, “Manager Ryu and Jo Gye-hyun, head of the reinforcement committee, attended the managers’ meeting to explain our operating plan and request cooperation. The people on the ground worked hard. The KBO only provided the support they needed.”
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