San Francisco Giants standout Jung Hoo Lee was detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection at Los Angeles International Airport on Wednesday after he reportedly forgot to carry his travel documents. Lee had just flown back from his home country of South Korea and was on his way to attend the Giants' annual Fan Fest later this weekend.
His agent, Scott Boras, told the San Francisco Chronicle that the delay happened simply because there was a problem with Lee's paperwork that needed to be sorted out. After being held for about an hour, Lee was eventually allowed to leave the airport. Boras said that the incident was "not anything political."
Stopped on Arrival
Representatives for Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the San Francisco congresswoman, said that her office intervened to resolve the situation, coordinating with the Giants, fellow lawmakers in Congress, and other federal officials to bring the issue to a close.
Before Lee was cleared to go, Boras told the San Francisco Chronicle that the issue appeared to be a simple oversight. "'I'm not sure what was lacking but it was something with the proper paperwork. I think he just forgot one of the documents," he said.
Since arriving from the Korean Baseball Organization in 2024, Lee has quickly turned into a fan favorite in San Francisco. The Giants signed him to a six-year, $113 million deal that offseason, betting big on his talent.
Big Season Ahead
Giants Spring Training is set to get underway in Scottsdale in about three weeks. Lee officially joined San Francisco in December 2023, signing a six-year contract worth $113 million.
His debut season with the Giants was cut short, though. After making the jump from stardom in the KBO to the MLB, Lee managed to appear in just 37 games before an injury sidelined him for much of the year.
Now 27, Lee has posted a solid .265 batting average across his first two MLB seasons, along with 10 home runs and 63 RBIs. Looking ahead, he's also expected to suit up for South Korea at the World Baseball Classic in March, just before the MLB season gets underway.
