San Francisco Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee was briefly detained at Los Angeles International Airport on Wednesday because of missing paperwork.
Lee, who was arriving from his home in Korea ahead of the start of spring training next month, didn’t have the proper documents to get through customs, but everything was sorted out and he is now in the U.S., according to the Giants.
“Earlier today, Jung Hoo Lee experienced a brief travel issue at LAX due to a paperwork issue,” the Giants said in a statement. “The matter was quickly clarified with the appropriate authorities, and he has since been cleared to continue his travel. We appreciate the professionalism of all parties involved.”
Lee, 27, signed a six-year, $113 million contract with the Giants in December 2023. He missed most of his rookie season in 2024 after dislocating his left shoulder crashing into an outfield wall and needing season-ending surgery.
This past year, when the Giants missed the playoffs for the fourth straight season and fired manager Bob Melvin, Lee batted .266 with eight home runs and 55 RBIs with 10 stolen bases over 150 games — 144 of those being starts in center field.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.