San Francisco Giants outfielder Lee Jung-hoo runs to third base after hitting a triple during the second inning of an MLB game against the Colorado Rockies in San Francisco on Sept. 26. [AP/YONHAP]

San Francisco Giants outfielder Lee Jung-hoo runs to third base after hitting a triple during the second inning of an MLB game against the Colorado Rockies in San Francisco on Sept. 26. [AP/YONHAP]

 
San Francisco Giants outfielder Lee Jung-hoo is ramping up his preparations for the World Baseball Classic (WBC) as he looks ahead to the possibility of facing Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani again, with the National League West contenders positioned for a hitter-versus-pitcher rematch on the international stage.
 
Lee and Ohtani compete on opposite sides of one of baseball’s oldest rivalries. The Giants and Dodgers began as the New York Giants and the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1880s before moving to California together in 1958, taking more than a century of animosity with them from New York to the West Coast.
 
 
Lee has watched Ohtani hit many times, and he drew a walk in his only plate appearance against him on the mound. 
 
“When I first met Ohtani in an international competition as a KBO player, I just felt amazed,” he said after receiving a special contribution award at the Ilgoo Award ceremony in southern Seoul on Monday. “I see him more often now, so that feeling is a little weaker.”
 
The Ilgoo Awards are annual honors presented by the Korea Professional Baseball Players Alumni Association. The awards recognize players, coaches and figures who make notable contributions to Korean baseball both on and off the field. 
 
Lee said his approach remains the same when he imagines meeting Ohtani again.
 
“He is a great player, and my mindset about facing Ohtani at the next World Baseball Classic stays the same,” Lee said. “Everyone needs to work hard and get ready to face him.” 
 
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani reacts during Game 4 of the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers in Los Angeles on Oct. 17. [AP/YONHAP]

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani reacts during Game 4 of the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers in Los Angeles on Oct. 17. [AP/YONHAP]

 
Korea aims to restore its international reputation at the WBC in March next year. Korea and Japan sit together in Group C, opening the door for a Lee–Ohtani matchup if Lee makes the national team. Japan national team manager Hirokazu Ibata said he plans to use Ohtani as a pitcher at the tournament.
 
Lee prepares for the WBC both physically and mentally. He earned a reputation as a slow starter in the KBO but now plans to build his pace earlier to match the March tournament schedule. 
 
“Your pace doesn’t always adjust the way you want,” he said. “Sometimes things line up and sometimes they don’t. If I make the team, I will play an important tournament before the regular season, so I need to build my body as well as I can.”
 
Lee debuted in the MLB in 2024 but ended his first season early after injuring his shoulder in May that year. 
 
San Francisco Giants outfielder Lee Jung-hoo, right, high-fives teammate Spencer Bivens after an MLB game against the Colorado Rockies on Sept. 28 in San Francisco. [AP/YONHAP]

San Francisco Giants outfielder Lee Jung-hoo, right, high-fives teammate Spencer Bivens after an MLB game against the Colorado Rockies on Sept. 28 in San Francisco. [AP/YONHAP]

 
He returned strong in the 2025 season and played 150 games, batting .266 with eight home runs, 55 RBI, 73 runs scored and a .734 OPS. It marked a steady first full MLB season, though he then fell into a long midseason slump.
 
“No player feels satisfied with any season,” Lee said. “I got hurt often over the past few years, so I felt grateful that I stayed healthy this year. After playing a full season for the first time in the big leagues, I learned what I do well and what I don’t. I want to build on my strengths and fix my weaknesses.”
 
He returned to Korea right after the regular 2025 season and focused on hitting to prepare for a bigger step forward. 
 
“I wanted to train with a body ready to hit, so I worked steadily and worked hard on batting instead of doing only offseason recovery training,” he said. “Everything goes well during practice, but what matters is how you play in games. I will push myself harder when I go to warm Arizona in January.
 
“I think I can outline more concrete goals when I leave for the United States. What matters is always making next year better than this year.” 
 
He also said the Giants asked him about Kiwoom Heroes infielder Song Sung-mun, who hopes to move to the MLB. 
 
“The club asked me about what kind of person he is and what his personality is like,” Lee said. “They probably know more about his baseball ability, so I explained the rest.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY BAE YOUNG-EUN [[email protected]]