Rivera says door open to aspiring big leaguers

Mariano Rivera takes part in a press conference on Wednesday. (Yonhap)

Mariano Rivera, the former New York Yankees closer and the all-time saves leader in Major League Baseball history, on Wednesday offered this message to aspiring big leaguers from South Korea: The door to the ultimate baseball competition is open.

“The opportunities are there, and you just have to go for it,” Rivera said at a press conference in Seoul, during his five-day visit. “You have to have the desire to play the game at the best level, and that is Major League Baseball. Hopefully, we will see more Korean players.”

Rivera said he played against South Korean outfielder Choo Shin-soo when Choo played for the Cleveland Indians from 2006 to 2012, and called him “a great player.” Rivera was also teammates with South Korean pitcher Park Chan-ho in 2010, the South Korean’s lone season in Yankee pinstripes. (Yonhap)