Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Jung Ho Kang may lose his spot on South Korea’s roster for the World Baseball Classic after his third arrest for driving under the influence since 2009 last month in Seoul.
Kang, 29, was also interviewed by Chicago police last summer as a “person of interest” in a sexual assault investigation, although no charges were filed.
“He is a great player, but I’ve started to wonder if it’s worth the trouble taking him to the WBC,” South Korea manager Kim In-sik told Yonhap News Agency last Monday. “Personally, I am leaning toward taking Kang off the roster. ”
Rosters for the World Baseball Classic must be submitted in February. The tournament takes place March 6-22.
Kang hit .255 with 21 home runs and 62 RBIs over 10 games in 2016. He owns a lifetime.273 career average with 36 homers and 120 RBIs.