TOKYO — South Korea manager Kim In-suk says the Cleveland Indians will decide whether outfielder Choo Shin-soo plays in the World Baseball Classic.

Choo has soreness in his left elbow and may not be in the starting lineup when South Korea faces Taiwan in its first game of the WBC on Friday at Tokyo Dome.

"I have to respect the decision of the Indians," Kim said Wednesday. "We may use him just as a designated hitter and not in the outfield but ultimately the decision lies with his MLB team."

Choo is the only major leaguer on South Korea's roster. The Olympic gold medalists were hoping to use Choo to fill the void left by Lee Seung-yeop.

Lee, who was a standout in the 2006 WBC and the Olympics, will skip this year's tournament to prepare for the upcoming season with the Yomiuri Giants in the Japanese league.

Choo batted .309 with 14 homers and 66 RBIs last season for the Indians.