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Ex-Mets Controversial Outfielder Signs With NL Club After Release
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- Ex-Mets Controversial Outfielder Signs With NL Club After Release
Former Mets outfielder signs with NL club. Getty
A controversial outfielder has signed with the Milwaukee Brewers after he was released by the New York Mets .
The Brewers signed outfielder Ji Hwan Bae after he was released by the Mets not even a week ago, according to the MiLB transactions log.
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The Mets claimed the outfielder off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates in November. However, he never appeared in an MLB game as he was playing in Triple-A Syracuse. In his first season in the Mets organization in Triple-A, Bae hit .257 with 5 home runs and 32 RBIs.
Bae had originally signed with the Atlanta Braves in September of 2017. However, the MLB voided the contract as a result of fraudulent contract negotiations. According to reports, Bae had agreed to sign for $300,000, the Braves planned to pay him an additional $600,000 by reallocating money promised to other signees. After his contract was voided, the KBO banned Bae for two years after he skipped the KBO's draft to join the Braves organization.
Bae ended up signing with the Pirates in 2018 for a reported signing bonus of $1.25 million. He made his MLB debut in 2022.
Bae Comes With Controversy
Along with the fraudulent contract negotiations, Bae was also involved in a legal battle.
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In May of 2018, Bae was accused of slapping, choking, and kicking his ex-girlfriend in 2017 on New Year's Eve, when he was 18.
"Bae Ji-hwan hit me," Kim, 18, told The Athletic on Friday via text message. "He hit me in Daegu. The first time I was (physically) abused was on New Year's Eve (in 2017). There (also) was verbal abuse. Before the actual physical abuse, I was under critical stress due to him and his family. His family and he repeatedly asked me to 'endure' him because he is a baseball player and he needs support."
Bae had to leave the Pirates organization to go back to Korea and deal with the legal matter. He was convicted of assault in court in Daegu in October of 2019 and was required to pay a fine of $2 million. The MLB suspended Bae without pay for 30 games because of the incident.
However, Bae ended up reaching the MLB after the legal issues. He's now signing with the Brewers to give the NL Central-leading squad even more depth.
Mets Avoid Injury Scare to Outfielder
New York did avoid an injury scare to a young outfielder.
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Carson Benge was back in the lineup on Sunday afternoon against the Pirates after he missed Saturday night's game with a jammed left wrist he sustained on Friday.
"Nothing too serious, thankfully," Benge said on Saturday. "I'm still feeling [it] a little, but it's feeling better than it did [Friday]."
Benge has been an impact player for the Mets this season, as he's hitting .270 with 13 home runs, 46 RBIs and 18 stolen bases in 112 games.
The Mets are 51-67 this season and last in the NL East.
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