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Actual news! Not exactly welcome, but it’s news!
According to a Korean news agency, the Aguilas entry in the Dominican Winter League has released third baseman Jung-Ho Kang. (H/t to Pirates Prospects (sub. req’d).) Kang was struggling badly there, batting .143 with one HR in 24 games, with the league’s worst slash line. He also was apparently having some problems defensively.
This probably doesn’t reflect anything beyond Kang having a bad 24 games after a year-long layoff. Winter league teams are concerned only with winning, not development or rehab. It’s not totally unusual for them to release players who aren’t performing. It obviously puts a crimp in the Pirates’ efforts to keep Kang in playing shape. The odds of him returning to MLB, though, appear to be very low now, so in the long run it’s probably not going to matter.