The team with the best record at the end of the Korea Baseball Organization regular season will earn an automatic bye to the Korean Series. That format is a foreign concept to Major League Baseball fans, but it creates extra pressure for players to perform their best throughout the year.
If the season ended today, the LG Twins would clinch the KBO’s top seed, looking to avoid the playoff round that ended their title chase last year. Can the Twins hold on to first place with five games left on their schedule? The Hanwha Eagles are not far behind.
It’s time to check in on more of the latest news from the top professional baseball league in South Korea, the KBO.
Tigers Left Without James Naile – Last Thursday, the Kia Tigers announced that right-handed pitcher James Naile would miss the remainder of the year with inflammation in his right elbow.
Naile, 32, was scratched from his start on Sept. 16 against the Eagles. He walked a season-high five batters in his previous outing on Sept. 10 against the Samsung Lions. Naile made 10 appearances with the St. Louis Cardinals out of their bullpen from 2022-23, and he joined the Tigers for the 2024 season.
He helped the Tigers win last year’s Korean Series after missing September due to a line drive that hit his face. Despite the scary incident, Naile led the KBO with a 2.53 ERA.
Bears Break Seven-Game Losing Streak – The Doosan Bears broke their seven-game losing streak with a 3-2 win against the Kiwoom Heroes last Thursday.
The battle between the KBO’s ninth and 10th-place clubs concluded in the bottom of the ninth when pinch-hitter Hong Seong-ho blooped a single to right field with runners on first and second base. Hong has played just nine games this season but has made the most of his opportunity, collecting nine hits in 26 at-bats.
Hong spent most of the season with the Bears’ KBO Futures League club, but will miss the remainder of the season after jamming his thumb sliding into third base on Saturday against the SSG Landers.
Ponce Suffers First Loss – Eagles starting pitcher Cody Ponce suffered his first loss of the season on Saturday after setting a league record with 17 consecutive wins.
The righty allowed four earned runs on five hits to the KT Wiz as his team lost 4-2. According to Yoo Jee-ho of Yonhap News Agency, the previous record for consecutive wins by a pitcher in the KBO was 14, set by Chong Min-tae of the Hyundai Unicorns in 2003 and Hector Noesi of the Tigers in 2017.
Ponce broke the KBO’s single-season strikeout record by recording his 226th punchout of the year on Sept. 3, and he leads the league with 242 K’s and a 1.85 ERA.
KBO Standings as of Wednesday, September 24
1. LG Twins (83-52-3)
2. Hanwha Eagles (80-54-3)
3. SSG Landers (70-62-4)
4. Samsung Lions (71-66-2)
5. KT Wiz (69-66-4)
6. NC Dinos (65-67-6)
7. Lotte Giants (65-68-6)
8. Kia Tigers (63-71-4)
9. Doosan Bears (58-75-6)
10. Kiwoom Heroes (47-90-4)
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: LG Twins players celebrate after winning the 2023 Korean Series, the Korea Baseball Organization’s championship round, against the KT Wiz in Game 5 at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Nov. 13, 2023. The Twins could capture a berth in the 2025 Korea Series by finishing atop the KBO standings. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
