Report: Choo signs one-year deal to remain in South Korea

There will be no return to Major League Baseball for Shin-soo Choo after all.

Yonhap News Agency's Jeeho Yoo reports the veteran outfielder has signed a one-year, $2.3 million deal to stay with the SSG Landers of the Korean Baseball Organization.

#KBO: Shin-Soo Choo has re-signed with the SSG Landers for one more season at 2.7 billion won ($2.3 million). Choo recently underwent surgery on his left elbow and said he'll try to join the team at the start of spring training next year.

— Jeeho Yoo (@Jeeho_1) November 16, 2021

Multiple reports last week suggested that Choo was mulling a return to North America.

In 137 games for the Landers in 2021, Choo batted .265 with 21 home runs, 61 runs batted in and an OPS of .860.

A native of Busan, the 39-year-old Choo spent 16 seasons in the majors with the Seattle Mariners, Cleveland and the Texas Rangers.

He last appeared in the shortened 2020 season, batting .236 in 33 games with five HR and 15 RBI.

For his career, Choo hit .275 with 218 HR, 782 RBI and an OPS of .824 over 1,652 games.

Yoo notes that Choo recently underwent surgery on his left elbow and will attempt to be ready in time for 2022 spring training.