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‘Perfect’—Son Heung-min Impresses With Ceremonial First Pitch at LA Dodgers Game

Son has made a fast start to life at LAFC following his record-breaking summer move.

Max Mallow

Son Heung-min is already a mega star in Los Angeles.
Son Heung-min is already a mega star in Los Angeles. / Luke Hales/Getty Images

LAFC and South Korean superstar Son Heung-min is well on his way to becoming a Los Angeles sports icon, if he wasn’t already after his Major League Soccer transfer was confirmed.

While he’s endearing fans with his work on the pitch, scoring a worldie of a free kick for his first goal in an LAFC shirt, his first pitch at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday caught the attention of baseball fans across the country.

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Son delivered a ceremonial first pitch before the LA Dodgers faced off against the Cincinnati Reds. Fans know all too well how bad some first pitches can be—see 50 Cent with the New York Mets in 2014—but Son wasn’t fazed by the moment.

The natural athlete threw a strike right over the plate which was caught by two-time Cy Young award winner Blake Snell as fans around the stadium cheered. Snell walked up to embrace Son and take a picture as microphones caught him applauding the LAFC star.

“Easy! That was good, that was really good! Right down the middle, perfect,” Snell exclaimed. “I didn’t even move my glove.” Son thanked Snell for making him feel comfortable in the moment, before hopping on the mic to get fans excited for the game.

Son got the full superstar treatment on the night getting a tour of the Dodger facilities and clubhouse as LAFC posted photos of him with the likes of manager Dave Roberts, Freddie Freeman and the countless awards the historic franchise has captured.

Now, it remains to be seen if Son will ever do the honors at an Angels game, but for now he’s a Dodger faithful and well on his way to becoming a fan-favorite not just in MLS, but across U.S. sports as a whole.

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Max Mallow
MAX MALLOW

Max Mallow is an associate editor for Sports Illustrated, primarily working on the SI FC brand.

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