Right-handed pitcher Dane Dunning (29) of the Texas Rangers still has aspirations for the Taegeuk mark.
Dunning, who met at the home stadium Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, on the 4th (hereafter Korean time), said, “I hope to go to the next tournament. I hope you still want me then. It would be a real blessing to play for Korea,” he said, revealing his desire for the Taegeuk mark.
He has consistently expressed his desire to participate in the Korean national team. However, he was unable to appear in the last World Baseball Classic (WBC). A hip injury crippled him.메이저놀이터
He, who underwent surgery to treat his right hip joint and labrum in September of last year, said, “I was contacted by the Korean national team right before the surgery,” and after telling the situation, “I really wanted to join the national team. Her mother would have liked it too.”
During the camp in March, he pitched in practice, and the season was also welcomed on the opening roster. He could have gone to the WBC if he was greedy, but it was not an easy situation for him.
“The WBC has intense matches in a playoff-like atmosphere. I had just had surgery and was trying to get myself back into shape. If you said you were ready, you could have been prepared. But when I thought about what I had to do at Rangers, I couldn’t risk it.”
Even if he had the will, his team, Rangers, would not have allowed it. Choi Ji-man of the Pittsburgh Pirates was also frustrated against joining the national team against his will. He also agreed with this opinion, saying, “The team would not have allowed it.”
While preparing for the season, it was not possible to watch all of the Korean team’s games held in the early morning hours. Still, he knew what had happened and said, “Japan is a team with many talented players. It would not have been easy to face such a team on an away game,” he added, adding that it would not have been easy to overcome the atmosphere of the Tokyo Dome.
“I think the other teams in that group would have been very difficult. Japan enjoyed the home advantage. Even if you look at the other groups right away, Miami is a place where many different cultures are intertwined, so no matter who played, the crowd was divided 50/50. Even watching the match between the United States and Mexico, there were more Mexican fans. It was cool to see so many different fans. However, Korea played the game with almost one-sided cheering in Japan. It was a favorable environment for Japan. Of course, it is true that Japan is a really good team.”
Feeling the dynamic energy while watching other WBC matches held in the United States, he said, “I hope I can go to the next tournament. Until then, I hope I can play,” he said, reiterating his will to participate in the next tournament held in 2026.
He went 4-8 with a 4.46 ERA over 153 1/3 innings in 19 games last season. He recorded 8 losses under the limitations of his rebuilding team, but left the possibility by playing his most innings since his debut.
The season starts in the bullpen. On the 2nd, in the 6th inning of the home game against Philadelphia, he blocked it with 3 hits and no runs in 3 innings.
While he was committed to rehab, his team has undergone tremendous changes. Martin Perez stayed with the team, accepting a qualifying offer, followed by Jacob deGrom (5 years, $185 million), Nathan Eboldi (2 years, $34 million), Jake Odorici (3 years, $29.5 million), and Andrew Heaney (1 year, $29.5 million). 12.5 million dollars a year), and many other veteran starters joined. This is the biggest reason he was pushed to the bullpen.
It would not have been comfortable to be in a narrow position. Nevertheless, he said, “I was happy that many talented pitchers came in. Because I can learn from them,” he said about the positive part. “I didn’t think anything special. I only thought about coming back to camp healthy and competing and preparing for the season, and I did. Whether it’s a starter or a long reliever, I thought anything would happen and I would take on any role. The goal now is to stay healthy and help the team.”
The long reliever is one of the most difficult positions in terms of maintaining a routine. He said, “I have a rough idea of when I will be on the mound,” and said that it is not too difficult. “The coach is really good at managing the bullpen. All routines are intended to be completed prior to competition. And when the game starts, he starts preparing in advance. He tries to stay active during the game and stays in the flow of the game. Then he has an idea of when it might come out.”
With veteran coaching staff such as manager Bruce Bochy and pitching coach Mike Maddox, he also spoke of the changed atmosphere, saying, “It’s a little old school style than before.” “They are both very knowledgeable and helpful. The atmosphere is really good,” he said about the team atmosphere.
Now there is only one thing left for you to do. If he continues to maintain the form he showed in his first appearance, good news may be waiting for him. He said, “The place where I had the surgery is really good. He has gotten better at moving his legs when it comes to pitching motions. I hope this can lead to an increase in velocity as the season progresses,” he said, revealing his expectations for the rest of the season, and then went to the ground for a catch ball.