"If We Fall Behind Here, It's Over" Half-Game Gap Between No. 1 and No. 2 Sets Up a Showdown, a Preview of the Korean Series Begins

[Financial News] The decisive three-game series that will determine the 2026 KBO League regular-season crown begins in Daegu. KT Wiz, in first place, and the second-place Samsung Lions, separated by just 0.5 games, will meet in what amounts to a de facto battle for the top spot.
Samsung and KT will play a three-game weekend series from the 28th through the 30th at Daegu Samsung Lions Park. KT currently leads the standings at 66 wins, 3 draws and 42 losses, while Samsung is close behind at 67 wins, 3 draws and 44 losses.
If KT takes at least two of the three games and secures a winning series, it will move into a decisive position to lock up first place. If Samsung wins at least two, the standings will flip immediately.


The two teams' no-room-to-retreat showdown is made even more intense by a bitter history between them. In 2021, they finished the regular season tied at 76 wins, 9 draws and 59 losses, and played the first-ever tiebreaker in the KBO League's 10-team era. KT won that one-game playoff 1-0 in Daegu to earn its first direct ticket to the Korean Series, while Samsung suffered the pain of being pushed into second place and then eliminated in the playoff.
This year, Samsung holds a dominant 8-3 edge in the head-to-head matchup. If Samsung adds just one more win in the remaining five meetings, it would secure home-field rights in Daegu should another tiebreaker be needed this season. For Samsung, it is a golden chance to settle the score from 2021.


The most important first game on the 28th will feature a surprise starter chosen after much deliberation by both benches. KT selected left-hander Oh Won-seok instead of Bae Je-seong, taking into account Samsung's many left-handed hitters. The plan is to hold the line early and then turn the game over to the bullpen, as Oh has recently fallen out of the rotation because of poor form. Samsung will counter with Kim Baek-san, a developmental player-turned-pro. Since earning his first career win in July, he has been a valuable piece on the mound, and the key question is how he will perform against league-leading KT.
The games on the 29th and 30th are expected to feature marquee ace matchups, with Logan Allen facing Chris Paddack and So Hyeong-jun taking on Austin Voth. However, rain in the Daegu area this weekend could change everything. If a game is postponed, the starting rotation will have to be shuffled.


The balance of power in the lineup will hinge on whether the foreign hitters are available. KT will be without key slugger Sam Hilliard, who had been batting .298 with 30 home runs and 99 RBIs this season, as he is away on paternity leave for the birth of his second child. That raises concerns about a drop in run production. Samsung, meanwhile, has Lewin Díaz swinging a hot bat. After launching a grand slam in a recent game against Kiwoom at Gocheok, Díaz has hit .349 with four home runs and 15 RBIs over his last 10 games, fully regaining the form of last year's home run and RBI king.
This is a preview of the Korean Series and the biggest turning point in the race for the regular-season title. With the standings separated by just 0.5 games, baseball fans are focused on who will truly rule the night in Daegu.


[email protected] Jeon Sang-il Reporter