Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Jung Ho Kang is the subject of an investigation regarding an alleged sexual assault that occurred in Chicago last month, a police spokesman confirmed Tuesday to the Chicago Tribune‘s Stacy St. Clair and David Heinzmann.
Stephen J. Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette relayed an official statement from the Pirates regarding the investigation:
“Our understanding is that police in Chicago are investigating this very serious matter,” Major League Baseball added in a statement, per St. Clair and Heinzmann. “Major League Baseball will monitor the progress of this investigation closely and will respond fully as additional facts emerge.”
Citing police, St. Clair and Heinzmann reported that Kang allegedly invited a 23-year-old woman he met through the online dating application Bumble to his hotel room in Chicago. The woman told police the alleged assault occurred after she blacked out following the consumption of an alcoholic beverage Kang offered her.
Kang has not been formally charged, per St. Clair and Heinzmann, but he will not be in the Pirates’ starting lineup Tuesday evening against the St. Louis Cardinals, per the team’s official Twitter account.
He was in the clubhouse before the game, according to Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune, who added the club had a team meeting.
In his second MLB season, the 29-year-old from South Korea is batting .250 with 11 home runs, 28 RBI, 38 strikeouts, 10 walks and a .326 on-base percentage.
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