Six Free Agents, Eighth Place Finish, and Expensive Price Tags... How Will the Kia Tigers Handle the ‘Park Chan-ho Bidding War’?

[Financial News] The Kia Tigers are facing a Free Agent (FA) dilemma under the shadow of an eighth-place finish. Even before the FA market opens, sighs can be heard from Gwangju.
After finishing the 2025 season in eighth place, the Kia Tigers must completely overhaul their roster. However, as soon as the season ended, another crisis emerged. No fewer than six players have qualified for Free Agency (FA): starting shortstop Park Chan-ho, batting icon Choi Hyoung-woo, franchise ace Yang Hyeon-jong, Cho Sang-woo—acquired from Kiwoom at the cost of first- and third-round picks—left-handed setup man Lee Jun-young, and catcher Han Seung-taek. Each is vital to the team’s competitiveness next year.
The problem is the limited budget. There are many players to retain, but only so much money to spend. Kia’s heavy investment in the Cho Sang-woo trade late in the season reflected the belief that this year was their last shot at a title. Yet the result was eighth place, and the return on investment was disappointing.

Park Chan-ho is the most challenging name for Kia in this FA market. He is an essential asset, having nearly hit .300 in 2024, won a Golden Glove, played more than 130 games for seven consecutive seasons, and consistently stolen 20 bases thanks to his speed.
Moreover, with Kim Do-young’s hamstring injury making his return to shortstop uncertain, Park Chan-ho is effectively the ‘last line of defense’ at shortstop for Kia.
But money is the issue. Park Chan-ho’s market value is soaring. Signing him for the same price as Shim Woo-jun last year is out of the question. Teams like the Lotte Giants, who need a full-time shortstop, are keeping a close eye on him. Lotte fell out of the top five due to a shortstop gap, and kt wiz struggled after losing Shim Woo-jun from their center line. If competition heats up, Park’s price could skyrocket—possibly beyond what Kia can afford.

A bigger issue is the team’s overall structure. The re-signing of foreign player James Naile is uncertain, and it will not be easy to bring back Adam Oller or Patrick Wisdom either.
There is no guarantee Kim Do-young will return to shortstop after his injury. Kim Kyuseong, Park Min, and Jeong Hyeonchang have yet to prove themselves as full-time players. If Park Chan-ho leaves, the shortstop position will be left vacant. This is not just the loss of one position—it would be a structural blow to the team’s defense, baserunning, and overall balance.
General manager Sim Jae-hak faces a tough dilemma. Kia cannot afford to lose symbolic players like Yang Hyeon-jong and Choi Hyoung-woo, nor can they ignore essential bullpen arms such as Cho Sang-woo and Lee Jun-young.
Yet if Park Chan-ho is lost, the core of the team’s strength collapses.

This winter, Kia must fight a battle of priorities rather than just money. If they keep Park Chan-ho, they will need to reduce the contract sizes for other FAs. If they lose him, they must consider shifting players like Kim Do-young to new positions or endure the growing pains of developing a new starting shortstop. In essence, this means a full-scale team rebuild.
Kia now stands at a crossroads between financial reality and maintaining competitiveness. If they fail to retain Park Chan-ho, a collapse in team strength is inevitable from the start of next season. However, keeping all six FAs at once is a tall order for a team that finished eighth in both finances and performance.
Ultimately, this winter will be a test for Kia—not just about one player’s contract, but about the direction of the entire team.
jsi@fnnews.com Jeon Sang-il Reporter