When Giants pitcher Logan Webb plunked a rival in apparent retaliation, he likely expected his teammates to have his back. He probably didn’t expect his own centerfielder to be the one publicly questioning the move.

The Los Angeles Dodgers ended their most recent road trip with a series loss against the San Francisco Giants. However, what stood out was the drama that unfolded between Dalton Rushing and the Giants’ players throughout the three-game series, which eventually ended with a hit-by-pitch.

The tension between the Giants and the Dodgers peaked during the series finale, when Logan Webb’s four-seam fastball hit Rushing on the ribs on Thursday. Rushing and the Dodgers’ manager, Dave Roberts, believe that it was an act of retaliation by Webb to avenge Giants’ centerfielder Jung Hoo Lee. However, Lee wants no part of it, and he made it clear to MK Sports, a Korean media outlet.

“I don’t think there was any reason to hit him in that situation. Only Logan [Webb] would know whether it was intentional or not. I’m not sure,” said Lee to MK Sports.

The controversy started during the first game of the series, which LA lost.

On Tuesday, with the Giants leading 3-1 at the bottom of the sixth, Rushing tagged out Lee at the plate, ending the inning. And the drama only peaked from there.

As Rushing was making his way into the Dodgers’ dugout, he was caught on camera, saying “F—em” while looking at Lee.

Rushing received plenty of criticism for his remark, as Lee’s hard slide reportedly aggravated a quad injury that he initially suffered last week.

Though Rushing later clarified that his words were not directed at Lee, Giants’ starter Logan Webb apparently did not let the incident go.

Webb retaliated with a four-seam fastball on Thursday that caught Rushing in his ribs. The Dodgers’ catcher responded with a hard slide into Willy Adames as he tried to dismantle an inning-ending double play at Oracle Park. Though Rushing got out, the Dodgers had won the game, 3-0.

Lee has also revealed that he had not spoken about the incident with Webb either, since San Francisco lost the match 3-0.

“We lost the game, and it wasn’t really the kind of atmosphere to have that kind of conversation,” Lee told the media outlet.

The Giants’ $113 million outfielder was also appreciative of Rushing’s attempt at reconciliation, while highlighting the cultural difference.

“In Korea, senior players usually talk things out among themselves, resolve it, and apologize. But that doesn’t really happen here.”

After the first game of the series, Rushing reached out to Lee via his friend and KBO teammate, Hyeseong Kim, to make sure the Giants’ player knew his remark was not directed at him.

In fact, just after the video went viral, Rushing had revealed, “I’ll be sure to say something to him face-to-face tomorrow, making sure he’s OK. There was nothing really directed at him. He’s a great guy.”

Starting his MLB career with the Giants by signing a 6-year contract in December 2023, Lee seems ready to move past the controversy as he goes against the Miami Marlins.

Jung Hoo Lee continues to hit against the Marlins

Jung Hoo Lee is hitting at an average of .287, having clocked 2 homers and 17 RBIs with a .773 OPS this season.

Before the Giants started their three-game weekend series against the Miami Marlins, SF manager Tony Vitello reportedly predicted that Lee would maintain his impressive pace. Vitello even compared Lee’s at-bats to those of Lee’s idol Ichiro Suzuki.

“I think he’s gonna keep like this,” Vitello reportedly stated. “I think he’s found a rhythm of who he is… He looked like his hero Ichiro just staying in line to the pitcher.”

During the series opener against the Marlins, Lee recorded 3 hits in his 4 at-bats, including a homer and an RBI. At the bottom of the eighth, with the Giants trailing 9-3, Lee drove in a solo shot off Marlins’ reliever Lake Bachar. While Lee’s homer was impressive, it cemented the final score, 9-4, in favor of the Marlins.

Lee carried the momentum on Saturday as he came to bat in the bottom of the second.

He drove in a double off Miami starter Yuri Perez. At the bottom of the sixth, he scored on Bailey’s right field single. The match was sealed in the Giants’ favor with triple homers from Drew Gilbert, Casey Schmidt, and Heliot Ramos, ending in a 6-2 victory.

Similar to Ichiro, Lee possesses an exceptional ability to put almost any pitch in play. During his injury-shortened 2024 rookie season, he had an 8.2% strikeout rate, which was among the top in MLB, and swung and missed at only 4.2% of pitches seen. Lee, who wears No. 51 to honor Ichiro, adopted a similar left-handed stance with elite bat control, often sitting on his back leg to drive the ball while keeping his hands stable, a mirror of Ichiro’s approach.

Now, only time will tell if Jung Hoo Lee’s career will be as legendary as the NPB and MLB superstar, Ichiro Suzuki.