As the KBO reaches the midpoint of June and closes in on the halfway mark of the regular season, the LG Twins are showing why they dominated the 2025 season and have returned to that form over the past two weeks.
Over their last 10 games, the Twins averaged 7.0 runs per game while going 7-3. No other KBO team averaged even 6.0 runs per game during that span.
The Twins swept the SSG Landers last week, outscoring them 31-9 in the three-game series. On Wednesday, KBO star and MVP frontrunner Austin Dean recorded his second multihomer game of the season against the Landers. Dean leads the KBO with a 1.079 OPS. No other player with at least 100 at-bats has an OPS higher than .996. He is tied for the league lead with 19 home runs.
Dean has been the clear-cut best hitter in the KBO this season and has helped the Twins take control of first place. If he maintains his current pace, he could produce one of the best seasons by a foreign hitter in KBO history. He has already established himself as the best foreign hitter in LG Twins history and is seeking to become the first Twins player to win KBO MVP honors.
Seong-han Park’s breakout season
SSG Landers shortstop Seong-han Park has emerged as one of the KBO’s breakout stars in 2026. He has posted a .933 OPS, the ninth-best mark in the league. His previous career high was a .791 OPS in 2024.
Park leads the KBO with 3.83 wins above replacement and has emerged as the league’s top shortstop this season.
KT Wiz sign Logan Allen
The KT Wiz signed former major league left-hander Logan Allen on Friday.
After pitching for Canada in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, Allen signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers organization before being released Thursday, allowing him to return to the KBO.
Allen pitched for the NC Dinos in 2025, posting a 4.53 ERA in 173 innings. He was signed as a short-term replacement for Caleb Boushley, who is expected to miss four to six weeks with an injury.
A former MLB pitcher, Allen posted a 6.08 ERA in 53 1/3 innings with Triple-A Oklahoma City this season. He will look to provide stability to a KT rotation that lacks another starter among the league’s top 20 in ERA behind Boushley. The Wiz remain within striking distance of first-place LG.
Hae-min Park makes history
On Saturday, Hae-min Park stole second base in the first inning of the LG Twins’ game against the Lotte Giants. The stolen base was Park’s 20th of the season and made him the first player in KBO history to record at least 20 stolen bases in 13 consecutive seasons.
Park’s career high of 60 stolen bases came in 2015, and he combined for 92 steals over the previous two seasons. He now has 480 career stolen bases, fourth-most in KBO history, and sits 25 behind Dae-hyung Lee for third place on the all-time list.
Landers add former MLB pitcher
The SSG Landers signed former MLB pitcher Thomas Hatch last week for the remainder of the season.
Hatch made 51 major league appearances across four organizations and appeared in 12 MLB games in 2025 with Minnesota and Kansas City. He posted a 4.01 ERA in 51 2/3 innings at Triple-A this season with 34 strikeouts. Among Pacific Coast League starters with at least 50 innings pitched, he ranked third in ERA.
Hatch made his KBO debut Sunday against the Samsung Lions, allowing four runs over 4 1/3 innings while striking out one. Despite a rocky first outing, his Triple-A performance suggests he could provide a boost to a Landers pitching staff that ranks last in the league.
Ríos brings elite velocity
Newly signed LG Twins reliever Yacksel Ríos made his second KBO appearance Saturday. The former MLB pitcher pitched for Puerto Rico at the WBC in March and threw 3 2/3 scoreless innings with 5 strikeouts, and is now pitching in Asia for the first time.
In the sixth inning, Ríos threw the fastest pitch recorded in the KBO since 2018. He has tossed three scoreless innings through his first two appearances and already looks capable of becoming one of the league’s top relievers.
As he approaches free agency this offseason, Ríos could draw interest from teams in the KBO, NPB and MLB.
Hyun-min Ahn nearing return
One of the KBO’s biggest storylines this season has been the injury to KT Wiz star outfielder Hyun-min Ahn.
Ahn broke out in 2025, posting a 1.018 OPS with 22 home runs and 80 RBIs. He represented South Korea at the 2026 World Baseball Classic and recorded an .821 OPS.
Entering 2026 as an MVP candidate, Ahn got off to a strong start, posting a 1.161 OPS with three home runs through his first 14 games before suffering a hamstring injury in April.
The injury has sidelined him since mid-April, and his absence has been noticeable. KT has hit just 43 home runs this season and ranks seventh in runs scored per game during June while hitting only four home runs this month.
Ahn is currently playing rehabilitation games in the minors and is expected to return within the next week. His return could provide a significant boost for a KT club that sits two games behind the first-place Twins.
KBO Standings
- LG Twins (41-24)
- KT Wiz (38-25-1)
- Samsung Lions (36-27-1)
- KIA Tigers (34-31-1)
- Doosan Bears (33-31-2)
- Hanwha Eagles (32-31-1)
- NC Dinos (28-34-1)
- SSG Landers (27-37-1)
- Kiwoom Heroes (26-40-1)
- Lotte Giants (24-39-1)
Photo: Austin Dean rounding the bases after homering against SSG Landers on May 17th. (Courtesy of LG Twins)
