Pitcher Honors Korean Mom at World Baseball Classic

Dane Dunning grew up with two cultures and two dinner options every night, and now he's honoring the heritage his Korean mother gave him on baseball's biggest international stage.

The MLB pitcher, who recently signed with the Seattle Mariners, is playing for Team Korea at the World Baseball Classic. His mother emigrated from Korea after meeting his American father, who was stationed there during military service.

Growing up meant choosing between bulgogi and kimchi one night, steak and potatoes the next. "It was always nice because we had essentially two meals that we could choose from," Dunning said. "I wasn't stuck with, 'You're gonna eat this and you're gonna like it.'"

He carries a tattoo on his arm reading "same blood" in Hangul, the Korean alphabet. After missing the 2023 Classic due to injury, wearing Korea's jersey finally became reality this year.

"Being able to represent her and represent my family that's over in Korea is a great honor," Dunning said in Tokyo. The tournament meant even more when his wife and two children traveled to Korea to meet his extended family for the first time, including his Halmeoni (grandmother).

"They got to surprise my grandma for the first time," Dunning said, emotion clear in his voice. Though he couldn't be there for the meeting, knowing his children connected with their Korean roots touched him deeply.

Why This Inspires

Dunning has found immediate belonging in Korea's locker room, which blends KBO stars with players of Korean descent. He's learning new stretching techniques from teammates and building friendships that span continents and playing styles.

After struggling in his first appearance, Dunning pitched a crucial scoreless inning against Australia that kept Korea's tournament hopes alive. When he struck out the final batter, something unusual happened for the typically stoic pitcher.

"I've never showed emotions," Dunning explained, noting his father taught him to stay level headed. "But we had such small parameters to win, to be able to advance, and just getting out of that situation, I was just so pumped."

That emotion carried Korea to Miami and the quarterfinals for the first time since 2009. Now they face the Dominican Republic, a team Dunning calls "the Avengers" for their star power.

Korea wasn't expected to advance this far, but their young roster keeps defying expectations. For Dunning, the pressure feels different when you're playing for family, for heritage, and for a country that gave him half of who he is.