Players in the nation's top baseball league will be allowed to have agents starting next year.The Korea Baseball Organization said it will permit player representation beginning in 2018, putting into effect a rule that was initially introduced in 2001.Following a meeting of its board of directors, the KBO said only those who have passed a qualification test set by the Korea Professional Baseball Players Association will be allowed to represent KBO players. Each agent or agency may only work with

Ryu Hyun-jin of the Los Angeles Dodgers had his start cut short after getting struck in his pitching arm by a batted ball.Ryu left his start against the San Francisco Giants at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday (local time) after just 2 1/3 innings, after taking a line drive by Joe Panik to his left forearm.Ryu managed to pick up the ball and throw out Panik at first, before dropping his glove and grabbing his left arm in apparent pain. In this Associated Press photo, Ryu Hyun-jin of th

South Korean high school shortstop Bae Ji-hwan has signed with the Atlanta Braves.The National League club announced its signing of the 18-year-old on its Twitter page Saturday (local time). Financial terms of the deal were not immediately disclosed.The Braves also uploaded a photo of Bae standing on the field at SunTrust Park, their home stadium, in a suit. In another picture, Bae poses with fellow South Korean and Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Kim Hyun-soo, whose club is visiting Atlanta. T

Schedules for South Korean baseball's postseason were announced on Wednesday.The wild card game between the fourth- and fifth-ranked teams at 2 p.m. on Oct. 5 will launch the postseason play, the Korea Baseball Organization said. The 144-game regular season is scheduled to finish on Oct. 3.The fourth seed will be the host, and it can advance to the first round of the playoffs either with a victory or a tie in the first game. If the fifth seed wins the first wild card game, then there will be a s

GWANGJU  -- On the Pittsburgh Pirates' roster this season, South Korean third baseman Kang Jung-ho has been conspicuous by his absence.The 30-year-old hasn't been able to secure his US work permit this year after his drunk driving conviction. He had his third impaired driving arrest in South Korea last December, and got an eight-month jail term, suspended for two years, in March. He lost his appeal two months later and his big league career remains in limbo sans visa.Sitting out the entire seaso

Ryu Hyun-jin of the Los Angeles Dodgers has picked up another no-decision despite a solid outing, getting pulled just one out shy of qualifying for a win.The South Korean left-hander tossed 4 2/3 scoreless innings against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park in Washington on Sunday (local time). He cruised through four innings, but nursing a 1-0 lead with two outs in the bottom fifth, Ryu walked the final two batters he faced before Ross Stripling came in to clean up the mess.Stripling esc

Ryu Hyun-jin of the Los Angeles Dodgers has been seeing broadcaster Bae Ji-hyun, Bae's agency confirmed Wednesday.“The two are in a romantic relationship and are considering getting married when Ryu's current season is over,” Koen Stars said in a statement. Ryu Hyun-jin (left) and Bae Ji-hyun (Yonhap)“They have been seeing and supporting each other for the past two years after meeting while working in sports,” read the statement. “Nothing about a marriage has been confirmed yet and we would like

South Korea's youth baseball team has finished second at a world championships in Canada after losing to the United States. South Korea was blanked by the US 8-0 in the final at the U-18 Baseball World Cup at Port Arthur Stadium in Thunder Bay, Canada, on Sunday (local time). It was South Korea's first runner-up finish at the competition formerly known as the World Junior Baseball Championship.  In this photo provided by the Korea Baseball Softball Association on Sept. 7, 2017, South Korea`s Kan

Ryu Hyun-jin of the Los Angeles Dodgers has picked up a no-decision against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the same club that knocked him around just a week ago.Ryu held the Diamondbacks to just one earned run on three hits in six innings at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Tuesday (local time). He left the game with the score tied at 1-1 and remained at 5-7 for the season.Ryu lowered his ERA from 3.71 to 3.59. In this Associated Press photo, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws a pitch aga

SK Wyverns' third baseman Choi Jeong on Tuesday became the fifth player in South Korean baseball to hit 40 home runs in back-to-back seasons. Choi Jeong of the SK Wyverns launches a three-run home run off the Hanwha Eagles during the clubs` Korea Baseball Organization game at Incheon SK Happy Dream Park in June. (Yonhap)Choi launched his 40th homer of the 2017 Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) season off Song Seung-jun of the Lotte Giants in the bottom of the first at Incheon SK Happy Dream Park

In the Korea Baseball Organization this year, no lead is safe against the Kia Tigers. But on the flip side, no deficit seems too big against them either.Take last Sunday's game, for instance. The Tigers took a 7-1 lead into the bottom of the ninth against the Nexen Heroes at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. Then the Heroes put up seven runs on the board against four Kia relievers to complete the largest ninth-inning comeback victory in the KBO's 35-year history.Kia starter Hector Noesi struck out six

South Korean third baseman Hwang Jae-gyun has been designated for assignment by the San Francisco Giants, a report claimed Friday.The San Francisco Chronicle said the Giants removed Hwang, their Triple-A third baseman at Sacramento, from their 40-man roster to clear a spot for catcher Tim Federowicz. Major league rosters expand from 25 men to 40 on Sept. 1 every year.Hwang must now wait and see if any other team claims him off waivers over the next seven days. If he clears waivers -- meaning, if

A fourth baseball club admitted to giving money to an umpire in a rapidly-snowballing scandal on Thursday.The Nexen Heroes in the Korea Baseball Organization issued an apology, saying one of its former executives wired 3 million won ($2,670) to the then umpire surnamed Choi on Nov. 22, 2013, after Choi had contacted him for cash."We'll accept any punishment that comes our way," the Seoul-based club said. "We'll cooperate with any future investigation by prosecutors."Financial transactions of any

Los Angeles Dodgers' starter Ryu Hyun-jin suffered his first loss in the second half after getting torched by the Arizona Diamondbacks.The South Korean left-hander allowed a season-high six earned runs on eight hits, including three home runs, in four innings against the D-Backs at Chase Field in Phoenix on Wednesday (local time).With the Dodgers down 6-0 in the top fifth, Ryu was lifted for pinch hitter Adrian Gonzalez. The Dodgers lost 6-4 as their late rally came up short.Ryu dropped to 5-7 a

A South Korean baseball club on Wednesday admitted to paying an umpire only a day before winning a league title four years ago.The Samsung Lions in the Korea Baseball Organization said a senior club employee wired 4 million won ($3,560) to the then umpire, surnamed Choi, in October 2013, after Choi had contacted the employee for some quick cash. The employee has since left the Lions, and Choi retired in 2014.Financial transactions of any kind between umpires and club employees are strictly prohi