'3rd-4th' KT and KIA risk being overtaken by Lotte, Doosan, and Hanwha [Kim In-sik's One Word]

*This content was translated by AI.

[2026 KBO League Second Half Outlook]

The most watched aspect of the second half is the fierce battle among five teams vying for postseason berths. While Samsung Lions and LG Twins are expected to compete for first and second place barring major upsets, the mid-tier standings remain unpredictable with chaotic competition anticipated.

The biggest variable is the Asian Games (AG). The baseball tournament at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Summer Asian Games will be held from September 21 to 27. Players selected for the national team are expected to be absent for approximately three weeks, covering pre-tournament training camps and the period immediately following the competition.

The problem is that this coincides with the peak of the regular-season race for standings. Once all scheduled games through September 6 are completed, each team will have roughly 15–20 games remaining, where every single result could determine whether they participate in autumn baseball. Therefore, each club must exert maximum effort to secure as many wins as possible before their core players depart for the Asian Games.

The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) and the Korean Baseball and Softball Association (KBSA), considering these factors, have limited the number of players loaned from each team to a maximum of three. Nevertheless, some teams still face significant concerns about potential critical roster depletion.

Specifically, the third-place KT Wiz and fourth-place KIA Tigers from the first half. KT is the only team among all 10 clubs to have selected three pitchers—So Hyoung-jun, Oh Won-seok, and Park Young-hyun—for the national team. Most critically, in a season where late-inning comeback victories are increasingly common, how the team will fill the void left by closer Park Young-hyun remains a major challenge.

KIA will lose key player Kim Do-young. As a player occupying one of the most critical positions on the infield (third base) and in the lineup’s offensive structure, his absence will inevitably have a profound impact on the team’s overall strength.

Additionally, both KT and KIA are considered teams with relatively weak "center lines" (catcher–second baseman–shortstop–center fielder), which are highly valued in baseball. For KT, the key lies in how much catcher Jang Sung-woo can contribute. Moreover, the performance of second basemen Kim Sang-soo (36, KT) and Kim Sun-bin (37, KIA) has declined compared to previous years, necessitating careful physical management during the summer months.

Furthermore, the momentum of chasing teams is no small matter. In particular, the pitching staffs of eighth-place Lotte Giants and fifth-place Doosan Bears currently possess top-tier strength in the league. This advantage can shine even brighter during the hot summer season.

Lotte struggled early in the season but saw its pitchers emerge strongly toward the end of the first half. Starting pitcher Kim Jin-wook and relievers such as Hyun Do-hoon have shown significant growth, transforming the team into one that opponents now fear.

Doosan boasts a solid pitching staff in both starting rotation and bullpen (team ERA 3.90, ranked first). However, it is regrettable that its lineup lacks power hitting (ranked seventh in home runs and eighth in slugging percentage).

Adding to this, sixth-place Hanwha Eagles, despite underperforming relative to expectations in the first half, is fundamentally a team capable of reaching top-tier levels in both pitching and batting. If it reorganizes its roster for the second half and makes a strong push, there is room for improvement in the standings. Initially, I predicted that LG and Hanwha would compete for this season’s dominance.

Ultimately, if KT and KIA fail to accumulate sufficient wins before the Asian Games, they risk falling behind Lotte, Doosan, and Hanwha.

Moreover, teams competing in the standings must focus on securing victories against lower-ranked opponents without exception. Losing such games could inflict severe damage equivalent to multiple losses.

/Former national team manager Kim In-sik (currently a senior advisor to the KBO)

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*This content was translated by AI.