The Korea Baseball Organization postseason is in full force, with the Samsung Lions defeating the NC Dinos in the Wild Card round to advance to the Semi-Playoff.
Four teams remain in contention for this year’s Korean Series title. The top-seeded LG Twins will enjoy the next few weeks away from game action as they prepare to host the first game of the championship round later this month.
It’s time to check in on more of the latest news from the top professional baseball league in South Korea, the KBO.
Lions Travel to Incheon – The Lions will face off against the SSG Landers in the Semi-Playoff round after defeating the Dinos 3-0 in Tuesday’s second Wild Card game.
The series, which starts on Thursday at Incheon SSG Landers Field, will mark the first time the two clubs have played one another in the playoffs in 13 years. From 2011-13, the two organizations competed in three consecutive Korean Series, with the Lions winning the last two editions.
The Landers will host Games 1 and 2 of the series, and the Lions will host Games 3 and 4 at Daegu Samsung Lions Park, if the series extends that far. If necessary, the two clubs will return to Incheon for Game 5. Samsung’s first baseman Lewin Díaz had five home runs against the Landers this season.
The MVP Debate – On Sunday, the KBO announced that there are 18 finalists for this year’s Most Valuable Player Award. There are eight nominees for the Rookie of the Year Award.
Among the nominees for the MVP award are Hanwha Eagles starting pitcher Cody Ponce and Díaz, a first baseman who became the first foreign player in the league’s history to hit 50 home runs and set a new record for RBIs in a season with 158. The left-handed hitter played all 144 games on the Lions’ regular-season schedule.
Ponce won the KBO’s Pitching Triple Crown with 17 wins, a 1.89 ERA, and 252 strikeouts, a single-season record. The former Pittsburgh Pirate won his first 17 decisions of the year.
Landers’ Anderson Out for Game 1 – Landers starter Drew Anderson will not pitch in Game 1 of the Semi-Playoff against the Lions. The team announced the American pitcher is suffering from enteritis, or inflammation of the small intestine.
Pitching in Anderson’s place will be Mitch White. The right-hander went 11-4 with a 2.87 ERA in 2025, a successful first season in the KBO after bouncing around in Major League Baseball for the previous five years.
Anderson ranked second in the KBO with 245 strikeouts and played parts of five seasons in MLB from 2017-21 with the Philadelphia Phillies (2017-19), Chicago White Sox (2020), and Texas Rangers (2021).
Final KBO Regular Season Standings
1. LG Twins (85-56-3)
2. Hanwha Eagles (83-57-4)
3. SSG Landers (75-65-4)
4. Samsung Lions (74-68-2)
5. NC Dinos (71-67-6)
6. KT Wiz (71-68-5)
7. Lotte Giants (66-72-6)
8. Kia Tigers (65-75-4)
9. Doosan Bears (61-77-6)
10. Kiwoom Heroes (47-93-4)
Where to Watch – Fans can stream the 2025 KBO season on the SOOP service. The KBO’s official YouTube page also posts game highlights and clips of other events, such as the All-Star Game and Golden Glove awards.
WBN KBO – https://worldbaseball.com/league/south-korea/korea-baseball-organization/
Photo: Cody Ponce (44) in the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, June 29, 2021, in Denver. Ponce is a candidate for MVP of South Korea’s KBO league in 2025. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
