Bae Young-bin released from the Lotte Giants.
Lotte Giants infielder Bae Young-bin, 23, who came under fire for failing to notify the club of his drunk driving arrest, has been released from the team.
“Today, the internal disciplinary committee decided to release Bae Young-bin,” a Lotte official said.
The official explained, “Drunk driving itself is a major offense, but the fact that he concealed it without reporting it to the club was considered a serious matter.”
Earlier, Bae Young-bin had called a substitute driver after drinking with acquaintances in Seoul on March 23. He was later caught by police after pulling out of his car parked in an alley onto a main street. His blood alcohol level was enough to revoke his license.
However, Bae did not report the incident to the club and participated in the final training session before the club found out and verified it. It wasn't until the 11th that Bae revealed his DUI arrest.
After confirming the facts and reporting to the Korean Baseball Organization's (KBO) Clean Baseball Center, Lotte held a disciplinary committee that day and decided to release him.
In addition to Lotte's punishment, the KBO will also convene a penalty committee to determine the level of punishment for Bae Young-bin. The first offense of license suspension will result in a 70-game suspension, the first offense of license revocation will result in a one-year suspension, the second offense will result in a five-year suspension, and the third offense will result in a permanent suspension.
Bae is likely to be banned for one year after his license is revoked. This means that even if he signs a contract with another team, he will likely not be able to play in the 2024 season.
Bae joined Lotte as a developmental player this year and became an official player in May. He made his first-team debut on August 20 against the Kiwoom Heroes, raising expectations with a .313 batting average in 18 games this season.
However, he made some big mistakes in his rookie season and his future became unclear. 토토사이트
