Pittsburgh Pirates Not Expecting Jung Ho Kang This Season
Amidst the plethora of storylines surrounding the Pittsburgh Pirates this year, Jung Ho Kang has been forgotten. The Pirates, however, have not forgotten about him.
This offseason, Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Jung Ho Kang was arrested for his third DUI offense. This time, Kang was involved in an accident near a subway station in Souel, crashing his car into a guardrail and fleeing the scene of the accident. This came just months after Kang was accused of sexual assault with an unnamed woman in his hotel room.
Due to his DUI conviction and other issues, Kang was denied a visa to enter the United States this offseason. At the time, the Pirates had hope that he would eventually be allowed to enter the country, even sending a custom pitching machine to Korea to keep Kang in game shape. However, with each passing day, the odds of Kang returning seem all the more remote.
On Thursday, with a lack of movement in regards to Kang’s visa issues, the Pirates have come to face reality. General manager Neil Huntington has been forced to admit that Kang is not likely to return this season, and that the hopes are now that he can return for the 2018 campaign.
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Although the Pirates have had their struggles at times this season, Kang’s absence may not have been that big of a drawback. David Freese has put together a solid .244/.374/.366 batting line while displaying above average range at third. Josh Harrison, who is in the midst of a revival season, has also played 32 games at third, showing excellent range as well.
It may also be a positive for Kang to spend the year away from the Pirates. His off the field issues have been a distraction for both him and the team, continuing problems that he had in Korea. Having entered a treatment program, this is a chance for Kang to recharge, and potentially come back as a new person.
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Jung Ho Kang will not be walking into the Pittsburgh Pirates clubhouse this season. That may actually turn out to be a positive for both sides.