Giants reportedly sign Korean outfielder Jung Hoo Lee to 6-year, $113M deal
SAN FRANCISCO -- The San Francisco Giants have finally landed a big-name free agent. The Giants and South Korean outfielder Jung Hoo Lee have agreed to a six-year contract worth $113 million, according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman. The contract reportedly includes an opt out after four years. The team has not yet confirmed the signing.
Lee, 25, spent the last seven seasons with the Kiwoom Heroes of the Korea Baseball Organization and is one of the greatest players in league history. For his career, he owns a .340/.407/.491 batting line with 65 home runs, 69 stolen bases, and more walks than strikeouts. Lee slashed .318/.406/.455 in 86 games this past season before an ankle injury ended his season in August.
In 2022, Lee was named KBO MVP thanks to a .349/.421/.575 line and a career high 23 home runs. He also has elite bloodlines. Lee's father, Jong Beom, is a former KBO MVP himself, and he still holds the league's single-season stolen base record (84 in 124 games in 1994). Jung Hoo became the first player to skip the minors and jump straight from high school to KBO.
The Giants have struck out countless times on big-name free agents in recent years, most notably Aaron Judge last offseason and Shohei Ohtani this offseason. They did agree to a 13-year, $350 million contract with Carlos Correa last winter, though that deal fell apart because of a concern with Correa's ankle.