Ha-Seong Kim has been showcasing his skills in America for the last three years, and now, it is time for his fellow South Koreans to see him play in person again.
Major League Baseball has announced three sets of international regular-season games next season, one of which will be played in Kim's own country.
The San Diego Padres will meet the Los Angeles Dodgers for a series on March 20-21, 2024.
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The news left the 27-year-old second baseman feeling excited about playing in front of his people and letting his teammates see the beauty of his country.
"When I joined the Padres, I never would have imagined I would have the opportunity to represent the San Diego Padres and Major League Baseball in my home country," Kim explained on the club's Twitter account in the Korean language.
"I cannot express in words how happy I am to be able to play in Korea in a San Diego uniform. It will be a very special memory for me to invite my teammates, staff, and coaches to our country to experience the great opportunity together."
Kim is the only Korean on the Padres roster and one of the five currently active players from the East Asian country.
MLB going international
Baseball has always been popular in South Korea, but it is not the only country MLB is going.
International fans can catch Houston Astros vs. Colorado Rockies in Mexico City on April 27-28.
Those in London can watch rivals New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies slug it out on June 8 and 9.
Aside from games, MLB is reportedly embarking on conquering the cricket-crazy India, according to its job posting.
The Hindustan Times in December 2022 reported that the league is working to start a fan base for baseball in the country, beginning with the "MLB First Pitch program where we implement baseball in a school's physical education curriculum."
Now, the league's Careers Page under the International Game Development is calling for content creators and creatives to promote American baseball.
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