Live baseball is back on ESPN — from South Korea.
ESPN announced Monday it will televise six Korean Baseball Organization League games a week, starting at midnight with the NC Dinos opposing the Samsung Lions in the league opener.
The telecasts will air Tuesdays through Fridays at 4:30 a.m. (CT), Saturdays at 3 a.m. and Sunday at midnight on ESPN2.
Under terms of the agreement, ESPN will become the exclusive English-language home for KBO games and highlights for the 2020 season. The agreement includes the postseason and best-of-seven Korea Series championship.
Karl Ravitch, Eduardo Perez, Jon Sciambi, Kyle Peterson and Jessica Mendoza will serve as commentators from remote locations.
For Chicago baseball fans, there are a few local connections.
— Former Cubs shortstop prospect Hak-Ju Lee plays for the Samsung Lions
— Dan Straily, who pitched seven games for the Cubs in 2014 during an eight-year major league career, is on the Lotte Giants
— Former Cubs scout Min-kyu Sung is the Lotte Giants general manager
— Left-hander Erik Jokisch, a former Northwestern star who pitched for the Cubs in 2014, is on the Kiwoom Heroes
— Former Cubs minor league pitcher Aaron Brooks is on the roster of the KIA Tigers, which is managed by former Giants third baseman Matt Williams
— Hee-seop Choi, who played for the Cubs in 2002-03, is the KIA Tigers hitting coach
— Casey Kelly, who was at Cubs spring training in 2017, pitches for the LG Twins
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