“Tougher than two years ago” ... Samsung advances to the Korean Series after beating the Kia Tigers; this time, the 90-win monster kt wiz awaits

[Financial News] Back on the Korean Series stage for the first time in two years. But the road to the title is much steeper and more arduous than it was two years ago.
The Samsung Lions clinched a place in the Korean Series with a 3-2 series victory after a grueling five-game battle with the Kia Tigers.
The chance to vie for the championship has returned for the first time in two years since 2024, but the reality facing the Lions is far from easy. The mountain they must climb this time is much higher and larger than it was two years ago.
The biggest reason is the overwhelming strength of regular-season first-place kt wiz, who reached the 90-win mark.
The Kia Tigers, who finished first in the regular season two years ago and beat Samsung 4-1 in the Korean Series, had 87 wins and a .613 winning percentage. This year, however, Samsung must face the “monster” kt wiz, who won a whopping 90 games with a .647 winning percentage. It is an impressive feat: since the 10-team system began in 2015, only two teams, the Doosan Bears and KT, have reached 90 wins in a single season.

KT's second-half momentum was downright frightening.
They swept all 10 of their final regular-season games, capping the season in style with the first 10-game winning streak in franchise history. Since September, they have posted an astonishing .800 winning percentage (24 wins and 6 losses) and built a perfect balance, ranking first in the league in both pitching and batting. After a lengthy rest, they are waiting for Samsung with their starting rotation fully set.
By contrast, Samsung emerged from a grueling playoff (PO) with serious wounds.
Unlike in 2024, when they advanced after beating the LG Twins 3-1 in four games, this year they endured an exhausting series that went all the way to Game 5. In the process, they used their ace, Ariel Jurado, in the decisive fifth game and had him pitch seven innings, and also sent Won Tae-in to the mound.

In the end, Samsung has just one full day of rest—the 2nd—before the Korean Series opener on the 3rd.
They face the daunting task of shaking off the fatigue of a five-game battle in just one day and putting together a new starting plan for Game 1, leaving the pitching staff badly out of sync. The condition of key players is also touch-and-go: Koo Ja-wook's hamstring is not fully healed, and Choi Won-tae has a hip issue. Their continued defensive errors are another concern.

Even so, Samsung has reason for confidence. It has shown itself to be KT's “bogey team,” holding a 9-7 edge in their regular-season matchups.
Even kt wiz, which dominated the league, struggled against Samsung. The powerful lineup's ability to deliver in key moments—from Kim Ji-chan, who drove in three runs in Game 5, to Lewin Díaz, Choi Hyung-woo and Koo Ja-wook—could turn the tide in an instant in a short series.
The Lions swallowed the tears of finishing runner-up two years ago. Now, standing in the way of their renewed opportunity is a giant monster with 90 regular-season wins. If Samsung can overcome its accumulated fatigue and beat the dominant first-place team, the value of the ninth championship trophy it lifts will remain the brightest honor in KBO history.

[email protected] Jeon Sang-il Reporter