K-Pop Meets Baseball: Here Are Our Idol Match-Ups For Every MLB Team

Things we love: K-Pop and baseball. So when these things combine, we basically couldn’t be happier!

As K-Pop becomes more and more global, more idols are getting the opportunity to throw the ceremonial first pitch at baseball games! Next up, is THP faves ENHYPEN, who are throwing at T-Mobile Park, home of the Seattle Mariners, on April 29th. Taking a brief pause in the middle of their FATE PLUS World Tour, ENHYPEN’s Niki, Heeseung, and Jay will be at the game and throwing that first pitch. It’s an especially big night for Jay, but more on that later!

We’ll admit, we got a little carried away with our celebrations for this fun pre-game event. We got to thinking… if each of the 30 MLB teams were matched up with a K-Pop group, which would it be, and why? Well, here are our answers to the question that nobody asked!

Note: These matchups are not based on season rankings, nor our predictions of their success. We’re just here having a silly, goofy time, and celebrating the things we love!

AL West

Seattle Mariners = ENHYPEN

Even if ENHYPEN weren’t about to throw the first pitch for the Mariners, there’s simply no other team we could match them up with – we think we’d deserve our ENGENE card revoked. Seattle-born Jay is a lifelong fan, was named after a Mariners player, and even has custom Mariners-themed in-ears for when he’s on stage.

Texas Rangers = Monsta X

“Shawty, let me take you home,” was what the Texas Rangers said to the World Series trophy in 2023! Well, it wasn’t, but the Rangers won their first championship the same year that Monsta X released ‘LONE RANGER!’ We hope they thanked Hyungwon.

Houston Astros = Astro

Come on. The clue is in the name with this one, right? You gotta let us have this.

Oakland Athletics = &TEAM

&TEAM is one of the most athletic groups we’ve ever seen – EJ is a former fencer, Jo played basketball, and Nicholas loved badminton. And when they’re not busy being idols, you can catch (or not, as the case would likely be), K running marathons, and Fuma on weightlifting shows with SHINee’s Minho.

Los Angeles Angels = SEVENTEEN

Who else could be a Los Angeles Angel other than K-Pop’s resident valley girl Joshua?

AL Central

Minnesota Twins = TWICE

Yeah, maybe TWICE threw first pitch for the LG Seoul Twins rather than the Minnesota Twins, but we’re still claiming this one, alright? Plus, we’re still obsessed with the baseball version of ‘MORE&MORE!’

Detroit Tigers = STAYC

When you think of K-Pop idols that have big tiger energy, you probably think of SEVENTEEN’s Hoshi, and you’d be right to, but he’s not the only one! We matched up the Tigers with STAYC, thanks to their resident big cat, Yoon!

Cleveland Guardians = EXO

We had to give the Guardians to EXO, considering their lore centers around them having superpowers! They’re here to guard our universe, and all the exoplanets.

Chicago White Sox = BTOB

There are a couple of Chicago natives in K-Pop (spoiler alert for the Cubs), but first up is BTOB’s Peniel!

Kansas City Royals = (G)I-DLE

How could we say anyone other than (G)-IDLE is royal, when we still hear ‘Queencard’ everywhere we go? Besides, the members are often at sports games, and even attended the MLB Seoul Series in March!

AL East

New York Yankees = BTS

Most World Series titles ever = most Daesang wins ever. Also, is it just us, or does Aaron Judge kinda give off Jungkook energy?

Baltimore Orioles = Dreamcatcher

Dreamcatcher are the Orioles because they have one of MLB’s best gloves, Adley Rutschman, on home plate. Get it? The Orioles have the dream Catcher… (sorry).

Toronto Blue Jays = P1Harmony

There are a few Korean Canadians in the industry, from NCT to The Boyz to ZEROBASEONE. But we gotta give the Blue Jays to our Toronto native, KEEHO from P1Harmony!

Boston Red Sox = RIIZE

Another hometown hero! We have to give the Red Sox to RIIZE’s Anton, who was born in Boston. The Red Sox winning the World Series the same year Anton was born? A coincidence? We don’t think so. (Yes, we do).

Tampa Bay Rays = Stray Kids

Did you know the Rays has a double meaning? You can spot it on their logo! Behind a manta ray, are some rays of sunshine! So who better to pair them with than Stray Kids, especially their ray of sunshine, Felix! Plus SKZ definitely deserves a spot on this list, not just because of these SKZ CODE episodes, but thanks to Seungmin’s iconic first pitch at Seoul Series.

NL West

Arizona Diamondbacks = TOMORROW X TOGETHER

Our first NL team! TXT have to be the Diamondbacks, simply because they have Huening Kai, the Diamond Maknae.

San Diego Padres = Seo Taiji and the Boys

People disagree over who was the true first K-Pop group: H.O.T. or Seo Taiji and the Boys. But we have the solution! H.O.T. was the first idol group, and Seo Taiji and the Boys were the fathers (or Padres!) of K-Pop.

Colorado Rockies = Xdinary Heroes

The Rockies of baseball with the rockers of K-Pop! Listen. We know some of these links are a stretch, but let us have them, ok?

Los Angeles Dodgers = SHINee

Is Taemin the Shohei Ohtani of K-Pop, or is Shohei Ohtani the Taemin of baseball? Either way, they’re both perfect all-stars, with the skills to back up the hype. Naturally, the sportiest man alive Minho throws a decent first pitch, too!

San Francisco Giants = VAV

Is it just us, or do idols just seem to be getting taller and taller? From SF9 to CIX, there are some giants in this industry! We gotta give it to VAV, though, who have an average height of about 182cm.

NL Central

St Louis Cardinals = KARD

We know they’re technically not K-Pop, but how could we match St Louis with anyone else, when their baseball team is literally nicknamed The Cards?

Chicago Cubs = NCT 127

You already knew this one! Of course, we had to match up the Cubs with Chicago native, NCT 127’s Johnny!

Cincinnati Reds = Red Velvet

Petition for the team to change their name to the Cincinnati Reds Velvet.

Milwaukee Brewers = n.SSign

Are you familiar with n.SSign’s Robin? Well, we’re wondering if his career will sparkle like the most successful Brewer of all time, Robin Yount!

Pittsburgh Pirates = ATEEZ

Who else could be Pittsburgh other than ATEEZ? Their lore literally centers around them being pirates! They kinda threw us a curveball (ha!) by pitching for the Dodgers earlier this month, though…

NL East

New York Mets = LE SSERAFIM

LE SSERAFIM’s YUNJIN was born and raised in New York, so this match-up was ‘EASY!’

Philadelphia Phillies = ILLIT

In addition to our petition to the Red, how do we convince Philadelphia to change its name to the Ph-ILLITs?

Washington Nationals = GOT7

We had to give our GOT7 guys the Nationals, because the Nationals have… got seven titles! They have one World Series, one NL Pennant, and five NL Division titles, one of which came the year that GOT7 debuted!

Atlanta Braves = Brave Girls / BB Girls

We’re ‘Rollin” down to Truist Park! This was another obvious one, right?

Miami Marlins = IVE

IVE are the Marlins because Marlins love to dive. Get it? ‘LOVE DIVE?’ No, we’re not proud of that joke either.

Anyway! There you have it! We’re celebrating ENHYPEN throwing the Mariners first pitch with one of the silliest articles we’ve ever written. Did you agree with our K-Pop and baseball match-ups?

Are you looking forward to seeing ENHYPEN throw first pitch? We wanna hear from you over on Twitter @TheHoneyPOP! And you can find us on Instagram and Facebook!

Head this way for more ENHYPEN! And over here for more K-Pop!

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