As the KBO heads toward the end of May, the battle at the top of the standings could not be any tighter. The Samsung Lions sit alone in first place at 28-18-1, with the LG Twins right behind them at 28-19 and the KT Wiz at 27-19-1. Samsung has won three of its last four games against KT to jump into first place.
The top seed is always the most pivotal position entering the postseason. The regular-season champion advances directly to the Korean Series, while the next four teams compete in a step-ladder format. The fourth and fifth seeds play each other, with the winner advancing to face the third seed. The winner of that series then faces the second seed for the right to play the regular-season champion in the Korean Series. Historically, the No. 2 seed has been the most successful team to come through this format because of its favorable draw. The fifth seed has never reached the Korean Series, while the fourth seed has done so just twice in the last 22 years. If history is any indication, finishing in the top three is essential to avoid having to run the gauntlet.
The KT Wiz and LG Twins got off to hot starts, but the Samsung Lions have caught fire to move into sole possession of first place. Samsung is 13-4 over its last 17 games and has outscored opponents by 53 runs during that stretch. The Lions met the Twins last week in a critical series and roughed up LG’s pitching staff, taking the three-game set by a 21-11 margin. Right now, it appears to be a three-team race for the top spot, and it could remain that way for the rest of the season.
Samsung’s offense got off to a slow start this year, but during its recent 17-game surge, the bats have come alive. The Lions now rank third in the KBO in runs scored per game. While the offense has improved, the biggest reason for Samsung’s rise to first place has been its pitching staff. The Lions allow the fewest runs per game in the league at 4.43 and rank second in both runs scored and runs allowed during May.
A major difference-maker for Samsung this season has been the addition of Australian left-hander Jack O’Loughlin. The former MLB pitcher was signed through the KBO’s Asian quota system and has provided a major boost to the rotation alongside Ariel Jurado and Tae-in Won.
O’Loughlin delivered another stellar performance on May 16 against the Kia Tigers, allowing two runs on four hits over six innings while striking out five. He followed that up this past Friday with another win against the Lotte Giants. O’Loughlin owns a 3.68 ERA with 47 strikeouts in 51 1/3 innings this season. On a pitching staff that does not generate many strikeouts, O’Loughlin has helped fill that void and given Samsung a formidable top three in its rotation.
Chang-seop Yang nearly perfect on the mound – Samsung also produced arguably the best-pitched game of the KBO season Sunday against the Lotte Giants. Chang-seop Yang allowed a leadoff single in the bottom of the third inning before retiring the final 21 batters he faced in a one-hit complete-game shutout. He struck out six and did not issue a walk.
It was the first complete game of Yang’s KBO career and his first quality start since April 13, 2022. Among Samsung’s potential starters, Yang would have been one of the least likely candidates to deliver such a dominant outing, but the performance highlighted the depth of the Lions’ rotation.
Young talent taking the KBO by storm – Doosan Bears right-hander Min-seok Choi has been a bright spot for a team currently sitting sixth in the league standings. The 19-year-old ranks second in the KBO with a 2.17 ERA.
His outing Tuesday against the NC Dinos was the best performance of his young career. Choi tied his career high with seven innings pitched, did not allow an earned run and struck out seven in the victory. While the Bears have carefully managed his workload, Choi has shown why many view him as the future ace of the franchise.
Top Korean pitcher suffers another health setback – Woo-jin An, widely regarded as the top pitcher in Korea, has not completed a full KBO season since 2022. After missing time earlier this season because of a shoulder injury suffered late last year, he has now been placed on the injured list with biceps tendinitis.
The injury is not expected to be serious, but it is another setback for one of the KBO’s biggest stars. An has thrown just 20 innings over the last three seasons for the Kiwoom Heroes.
Former Choi Dong-won Award winner thriving again – Former MLB pitcher Raúl Alcántara, who spent considerable time in the KBO and won the league’s top pitching award in 2020, was re-signed by Kiwoom during the offseason. While several foreign pitcher signings across the league have struggled, Alcántara has been one of the few bright spots for a Kiwoom team near the bottom of the standings.
Alcántara owns a 2.81 ERA with 53 strikeouts in 57 2/3 innings. His outing Thursday against SSG Landers was one of the best starts of the KBO season. He allowed just two hits over eight shutout innings while striking out eight. Alcántara did not surrender a hit until the fifth inning, and only one hit left the infield.
After an inconsistent April, Alcántara has emerged as one of the premier pitchers in the KBO during May, posting a 1.80 ERA for the month. While many teams are searching for replacements for struggling foreign pitchers, Kiwoom could not have asked for much more from Alcántara so far.
Víctor Reyes narrowly misses KBO history – Former MLB outfielder Víctor Reyes has blossomed in Korea and is enjoying the best season of his career. His 150 wRC+ ranks seventh in the KBO, and he entered Friday carrying a 21-game hitting streak.
Reyes went 0-for-1 with three walks, snapping the streak. The 21-game streak was the second-longest hitting streak by a foreign player in KBO history. Only Matt Davidson’s 22-game streak in 2024 was longer.
Korean baseball legend makes history – Hyun-Jin Ryu became just the second Korean pitcher ever Sunday to reach 200 combined wins across the KBO and MLB. Jin-woo Song is the only other Korean pitcher to accomplish the feat, finishing his career with 210 wins for the Hanwha Eagles from 1989-2009.
Ryu appears well on his way to becoming the all-time wins leader among Korean pitchers. Against Doosan, he allowed two runs on six hits over 6 2/3 innings while striking out three. One of the greatest pitchers in Korean baseball history, Ryu continues to build on his legacy in his home country.
Austin Dean continues torrid start – Austin Dean has established himself as the frontrunner for the KBO MVP award. The former MLB outfielder and first baseman is in his third season in Korea and is producing the best numbers of his career for the LG Twins.
Dean leads the KBO with a 1.027 OPS and a .608 slugging percentage. He also ranks third in home runs with 11 and fifth in RBIs with 37.
On May 17 against SSG, Dean recorded his second multi-home run game of the season. The performance was also his 17th multi-hit game of the year. Without a truly dominant pitcher emerging in the KBO this season, Dean has positioned himself as the leading candidate to win the league’s 2026 MVP award.
KBO standings
- Samsung Lions — 28-18-1
- LG Twins — 28-19
- KT Wiz — 27-19-1
- Kia Tigers — 25-22-1
- Hanwha Eagles — 23-24
- SSG Landers — 22-25-1
- Doosan Bears — 22-25-1
- Kiwoom Heroes — 20-28-1
- NC Dinos — 19-27-1
- Lotte Giants — 19-26-1
Photo: Austin Dean rounding the bases after homering against SSG Landers on May 17th. Photo credit to LG Twins
