Son Heung-min gears up for ceremonial first pitch at Dodger Stadium

Son Heung-min of Los Angeles FC practices his ceremonial first pitch ahead of Dodgers’ home game Courtesy of LAFCInstagram — Forward Son Heung-min throws a ball during a practice session at an unidentified location in the U.S., in this grab from LAFC's Instagram account.

SEOUL, August 27 (AJP) - Son Heung-min, who made his Major League Soccer (MLS) debut with Los Angeles FC (LAFC) earlier this month, is set to throw his ceremonial first pitch at Dodger Stadium in California on Wednesday.

Excitement has been building among his fans, as LAFC posted a couple of clips of him practicing ahead of his upcoming pitch at the Dodgers' home game against the Cincinnati Reds.

With Los Angeles being home to the largest Korean community in the U.S., many compatriots and other fans are expected to pack the ballpark to catch a glimpse of their favorite star. They are also looking forward to his anticipated encounter with Japanese star and Dodgers ace Shohei Ohtani.

Earlier this week, V, a member of K-pop juggernaut BTS, also threw the ceremonial first pitch at the stadium.

After ending his 10-year stint with Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier League, Son signed a record MLS deal worth around US$26 million on Aug. 6 to join the American club. His contract runs through 2027, with two one-year renewal options.

He scored his debut goal in an away match against FC Dallas in Texas last Saturday, his third MLS appearance, though the game ended in a 1-1 draw.

Cheon Soram cheons@ajupress.com