The Korean Baseball Organization is entering the final week of the regular season, with all previously postponed games being played.
KT Wiz clinch regular-season title and earn automatic berth to 2026 Korean Series
The KT Wiz entered Monday with a chance to clinch their first pennant since the 2021 season and their first berth in the Korean Series since 2023 with a win and a Samsung Lions loss.
The Wiz hosted the Lotte Giants on Monday night. In a game that meant a lot to the Wiz and very little to the Giants, the Wiz jumped on Lotte early.
In the bottom of the first, after putting runners on first and third with one out, Sam Hilliard and Sang-su Kim delivered doubles to give the Wiz a 3-0 lead. After a two-out RBI infield single made it 4-0, No. 9 hitter Jun-won Jang delivered the big blow of the inning with a three-run homer over the left-field fence to make it 7-0 and put the Wiz in complete control.
With a big lead, KT starter Logan Allen went to work and produced the best single-game performance of his KBO career. He went eight innings and allowed seven hits, no runs and a career-high 14 strikeouts. It was just the second time in his KBO career that he had gone eight innings and his first since June 28, 2025.
The Wiz got another home run from Jang in the sixth to extend their lead to 8-0. It was Jang’s second multihomer game of the season and the third of his career. Hyun-min Ahn hit a solo home run of his own in the seventh.
The Wiz took a 9-0 lead into the ninth. Yong-ik Mon came in and threw a perfect ninth for the 9-0 win over the Giants.
After the win, fans stayed to watch the end of Samsung’s game against the Doosan Bears, while the players watched from the clubhouse. After Doosan held on for a 7-5 win, the clubhouse and crowd erupted as the Wiz officially became the regular-season champion and secured their place in this year’s Korean Series. The players ran onto the field to celebrate with their fans.
As for the Lions, they know they will be the No. 2 seed and will only have to win one series to advance to the Korean Series as part of the KBO’s step-ladder playoff format.
KIA Tigers surge ahead of LG Twins
The KIA Tigers met the LG Twins from Saturday through Monday in the final three-game regular-season set at Jamsil Baseball Stadium. The Twins entered the series with a two-game lead over the Tigers but were on a five-game losing streak.
After the Tigers took the first two games, the Twins needed a win to maintain a one-game lead with just five games remaining in their season. A Tigers win would give KIA the sweep and move the team one game ahead for third place in the KBO.
With the game scoreless in the first, the Twins got an RBI single from Jeong-bin Moon to break the tie. Bo-gyeong Moon followed with an RBI single of his own to make it 2-0. With the bases loaded and two outs, Ju-heon Lee stepped to the plate and delivered a clutch two-run single to give the Twins a 4-0 lead after an early offensive explosion.
It remained 4-0 until the fourth. In the top of the inning, after putting runners on second and third with one out, Ho-ryung Kim drove in two with a two-run single to right field to break through against Twins starter Anders Tolhurst.
The Tigers got a little closer in the sixth after a throw in the dirt could not be scooped by Austin Dean at first, allowing a runner to cross home plate.
That 4-3 lead carried into the ninth, when Woo-suk Go came into the game to seal a crucial win and push LG’s lead for the No. 3 seed to a full game once again. After getting the leadoff hitter out, Go allowed back-to-back singles before recording a strikeout.
That set the stage for 22-year-old superstar and potential 2026 MVP Do-yeong Kim. He hit the 0-1 pitch just over the left-field fence for a go-ahead three-run home run with the Tigers down to their final out.
Yeong-tak Sung threw a perfect ninth for a 6-4 Tigers win.