Former MLB Guys You Might Catch on ESPN’s KBO League Broadcasts

Baseball is back, baseball is back, hi-ho the derry-o, baseball is back. Sure, it’s the KBO League, but it’s still live baseball on ESPN. Move over Last Dance, let the mind-blowing TV ratings roll in.

Starting on Tuesday, May 5th, ESPN will show six games a week from the KBO (Korea Baseball Organization). Tuesday’s game between the NC Lions and Samsung Lions will air at 1:00 a.m. on ESPN. If you’re on the east coast, it might require some coffee (try Death Wish Coffee if you like ultra high-test joe).

“We’re thrilled to become the exclusive English-language home to the KBO League and to showcase its compelling action and high-level of competition,” said Burke Magnus, ESPN’s executive vice president of programming. “We have a longstanding history of documenting the game of baseball and we’re excited to deliver these live events to sports fans.”

(via ESPN)

The NPB always has a ton of former big leaguers spread across its rosters but the KBO has its fair share, too. Some guys you should look for if you hop on the KBO train are five-time MLB All-Star Matt Williams, who’s managing the Kia Tigers, pitchers Dan Straily (eight MLB season), Ben Lively (15 starts for Phillies in 2017) and Logan Verrett (3.03 ERA with 2015 Mets World Series team), and outfielder Preston Tucker (13 HR with Astros in 2015). There are more, I’m sure, but a lot of the information out there looks a little iffy. I guess we’ll just have to watch to find out.

Per ESPN, most games will be on ESPN2, with weekday games at 5:30 a.m., Saturday games at 4:00 a.m., and Sunday games at 1:00 a.m.