Immigration officers detained San Francisco Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee at LAX Airport, the team confirmed
Immigration officers detained San Francisco Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee at LAX Airport, the team confirmed
Jung Hoo Lee, a San Francisco Giants outfielder, was held by Customs and Border Protection authorities at Los Angeles International Airport on Wednesday.
Lee, a 27-year-old Japanese-South Korean national, was detained for “forgetting documents in Korea,” according to the office of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Lee’s release as soon as possible,” a statement from Pelosi’s office read.
CBS Los Angeles has requested a statement on the matter from CBP and the Department of Homeland Security but has yet to receive a response.
A Giants spokeswoman stated that Lee has subsequently been freed from custody following a “brief travel issue at LAX due to a paperwork issue.”
“We appreciate the professionalism of all parties involved.”
Lee signed with the Giants prior to the 2024 MLB season. His six-year, $113 million contract, the most ever for a Korean-born position player, concluded his seven-year stint in the KBO League, South Korea’s leading baseball league.
During his time with the Kiwoom Heroes, Lee won Rookie of the Year, 2022 MVP, and five Golden Glove Awards and was named to six KBO All-Star Games.
He has also competed for South Korea in various international baseball competitions, including the 2020 Summer Olympics and the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
He is anticipated to return to represent his home country at the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
The Giants will begin spring training for the 2026 season in February in Scottsdale, Arizona. San Francisco is also set to face the New York Yankees in the first regular-season game of the year on March 25 at Oracle Park.
Lee has a .265 batting average in 187 big league games, with 10 home runs, 63 RBI, and 12 stolen bases.