Shohei Ohtani welcomes Kim Hye-seong with Korean message: "Welcome, buddy"

Shohei Ohtani welcomes Kim Hye-seong to the Los Angeles Dodgers in an image shared on Instagram on Jan. 3. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

 
Los Angeles Dodgers Japanese All-Star Shohei Ohtani welcomed his new teammate Kim Hye-seong on Instagram on Friday, reposting the MLB announcement with an added Korean message that translates as "Welcome, buddy."
 
Kim, 25, signed with the Dodgers on Friday on a 3+2 deal with up to $22 million.
 

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Ohtani, perhaps the most famous baseball player in the world, is a popular figure in Korea despite the long-standing sporting rivalry between the two neighboring countries. He has regularly reached out to his Korean fans, posting photos with the Korean flag in the run up to the MLB Seoul Series in March and even attempting the classic Korean "finger heart" in the official series promotional photo.
 
"Japan and Korea, they've always had a great rivalry when it comes to sports. I've always watched the games between Japan and Korea and I always respected, looked up to Team Korea and the Korean players," Ohtani said back in March in Seoul. "So being accepted like this and welcomed is a very good feeling."
 
Ohtani now looks to be extending the same welcome to Kim who will join him on the Dodgers roster this year. 

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]