Cardinals closer Oh Seung - hwan returns home for World Baseball Classic INCHEON , Feb . 27 ( Yonhap ) -- St . Louis Cardinals closer Oh Seung - hwan on Monday returned to his homeland to join the national baseball team for the upcoming international baseball tournament . Oh came back to South Korea in order to compete at the World Baseball Classic ( WBC ) . South Korea is the host of the first round action in Pool A which will be staged at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul next week . Oh is the only major leaguer on the 28 - man team for the WBC where South Korea faces Israel , the Netherlands and Chinese Taipei in their first round campaign . Oh , who had 19 saves with a 1 . 92 ERA as a big league rookie in 2016 , left for the United States on Jan . 6 to join the Cards ' spring training camp in Jupiter , Florida . Due to his club duty , he missed the national team ' s full squad training in Japan earlier this month . Oh is coming off a rough spring debut for the Cards . Against the Florida Marlins on Saturday , the 34 - year - old South Korean gave up a two run homer to Christian Yelich and a solo shot to Justin Bour in just one inning to blow the Cards ' 3 - 1 lead . The Marlins went on to beat the Cards 8 - 7 in the Grapefruit League opener . South Korean manager Kim In - sik previously said Oh , the all - time saves leader in the Korea Baseball Organization ( KBO ) , will be the team ' s closing pitcher at the WBC . kdon @ yna . co . kr ( END )