KBO Roundup: KT Wiz Chasing Down Top Spot, Former MLBer Sam Hilliard Scorching in July

Austin Dean added another chapter to his outstanding 2026 KBO season with the LG Twins.

On Wednesday, Dean hit a three-run home run against the Kiwoom Heroes in the bottom of the first inning. The blast gave him 30 home runs on the season and marked his third consecutive 30-home run season.

Dean became just the ninth player in KBO history to record three straight 30-homer campaigns and only the third foreign player to accomplish the feat. The last foreign player to do so was Eric Thames in 2016.

He followed that up with his 31st home run of the season on Thursday against Kiwoom. Dean ranks fourth in batting average, second in home runs and leads the KBO with a 1.097 OPS. He is also in position to become the fourth Triple Crown winner in KBO history and the first since Dae-ho Lee in 2010. No foreign hitter has ever won the Triple Crown. Dean continues to be the frontrunner for the league’s MVP award.

Bruce Zimmermann With Solid First Start – Recently signed import Bruce Zimmermann made his Hanwha Eagles debut Sunday against the LG Twins. He threw four scoreless innings, allowing three hits while striking out one. His performance helped lead the Eagles to a 14-4 victory over LG.

Hanwha sits 2 1/2 games behind the Doosan Bears for the fifth and final postseason spot. For a pitching staff that has struggled throughout the season, Zimmermann is expected to play a key role down the stretch as the Eagles attempt to reach the playoffs.

Austin Voth Makes KBO Debut – Another notable import also made his debut Sunday as new Samsung Lions starter Austin Voth took the mound against the Doosan Bears. Voth pitched five innings, allowing two runs while striking out five. He is expected to be one of Samsung’s biggest X-factors as the Lions look to finish atop the standings and clinch a spot in the Korean Series.

On July 16, Choi Jeong hit his 20th home run of the season, becoming the first player in KBO history to reach the 20-home run mark in 11 consecutive seasons.

Unfortunately, lingering hip pain forced Choi out of the lineup. He is scheduled to undergo hip surgery Aug. 11 and is expected to miss the remainder of the season, with his availability for the start of next season also in doubt. Choi had been on pace for his best offensive season since 2017 and one of the strongest campaigns of his career.

With the LG Twins continuing to slump, the race for first place has become a two-team battle. The Samsung Lions hold just a half-game lead over the KT Wiz.

The Wiz have been on a blistering run in July, posting a 13-4-1 record while losing only once since July 5. Their surge has created a 3 1/2-game cushion over the third-place LG Twins.

A major reason for KT’s success has been the play of Sam Hilliard.

After spending parts of seven seasons with the Colorado Rockies and Atlanta Braves, Hilliard joined the KBO this season and has quickly emerged as one of the league’s biggest stars. He owns a .968 OPS with 28 home runs and 90 RBIs. He ranks fifth in OPS, second in RBIs and third in home runs. If not for Austin Dean’s remarkable season, Hilliard would be among the leading MVP candidates and arguably the league’s top foreign hitter.

Hilliard has been even better in July, batting .366/.408/.761 with nine home runs and 26 RBIs.

On Wednesday against the NC Dinos, Hilliard recorded his second multi-home run game of the season to lead the Wiz to another victory as they continued to chase the Samsung Lions for first place. He followed that with another home run Thursday, helping KT to a 10-2 win over the Dinos. Hilliard has been the KBO’s hottest hitter in July and has carried the Wiz offensively.

In the first inning against NC starter Curtis Taylor, Hilliard hit a two-run home run into the right-field seats to give KT a 2-0 lead. The homer meant Hilliard has now gone deep against all nine KBO opponents he has faced. In the fourth inning, he took Taylor deep again for his second home run of the game.

KT Wiz Strengthen Rotation With Former MLB Arm – With the Wiz chasing the Samsung Lions for first place, they made a significant addition by signing former major league right-hander Davis Daniel.

The 29-year-old made 12 career appearances, including eight starts, over parts of three seasons from 2023-25 with the Los Angeles Angels and Atlanta Braves. Daniel was pitching for the Louisville Bats, the Cincinnati Reds’ Triple-A affiliate, where he posted a 4.71 ERA with 93 strikeouts over 93 2/3 innings.

The move came after the release of former major league pitcher Matt Sauer. Despite being one of KT’s biggest offseason additions, Sauer struggled to meet expectations, posting a 4.88 ERA in 18 starts. His 6.3 strikeouts per nine innings were the lowest of his professional career as a starter.

Daniel is expected to take over Sauer’s rotation spot as the Wiz continue their push for the top spot in the standings.

KBO Standings – July 31
1. Samsung Lions – 58-37-2
2. KT Wiz – 56-36-2
3. LG Twins – 55-42
4. KIA Tigers – 52-45
5. Doosan Bears – 50-45-3
6. Hanwha Eagles – 46-46-3
7. NC Dinos – 42-50-2
8. Lotte Giants – 42-53-2
9. SSG Landers – 37-58-4
10. Kiwoom Heroes – 36-62-2

Photo: Sam Hilliard drops bat after game-tying two run homer against Chicago Cubs on September, 14 2024. (AP Sports/Geneva Heffernan)