Seoul: The national baseball team announced Sunday right-hander Won Tae-in will miss the World Baseball Classic (WBC) next month due to a right elbow injury. The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) said it has asked the WBC organizing committee to allow South Korea to replace Won, staff ace for the Samsung Lions, with LG Twins reliever You Young-chan at the March 5-17 tournament.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Won first started feeling pain in his right elbow during their first phase of spring training in Guam in January. After an initial round of testing showed no particular damage, Won remained with the Lions for the second phase of training camp in Okinawa, Japan. However, Won decided to go for further tests Friday when the pain did not subside and was diagnosed with damage to his elbow flexor.

"It is not a serious injury, but he will need to be sidelined for about three weeks," a Lions official said. "He will undergo rehab with the team in Okinawa."

Won has been one of the most consistent South Korean-born starters in the KBO in recent years. Since 2021, Won has won the most games in the league with 58 and has tossed the second-most innings with 800 1/3. His 3.43 ERA in that span is the second-best mark among qualified starters.

Won's absence is another blow to South Korea's pitching staff, which was already without Hanwha Eagles fireballer Moon Dong-ju, who was left off the team due to shoulder problems. South Korea will play Japan, Australia, Chinese Taipei, and the Czech Republic in Pool C at Tokyo Dome. The top two teams from each of four pools will advance to the quarterfinals to be played in Houston and Miami. Miami will then host the semifinals and the final.

South Korea was eliminated in the first round in each of the past three WBCs.

Source: Yonhap News Agency