'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 critical issue in the second half is the fierce battle among five teams vying for postseason qualification. While Samsung Lions and LG Twins are expected to compete for first and second place barring any major upsets, the mid-tier standings remain unpredictable and chaotic.

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 advance to autumn baseball. Therefore, each club must exert maximum effort to secure as many wins as possible before their key players depart for the Asian Games.

The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) and the Korean Baseball and Softball Association (KBSA), taking these factors into account, have limited the number of players loaned from each team to a maximum of three. Nevertheless, some teams still face significant concerns over potential critical losses in their roster strength.

These are precisely the 3rd-place KT Wiz and 4th-place KIA Tigers of 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 crucial positions on the infield (third base) and in offensive production, his absence will inevitably have a profound impact on the team’s overall strength.

Furthermore, both KT and KIA are considered relatively weak in what is known in baseball as the "center line" (catcher, second baseman, shortstop, and center fielder). For KT, the key lies in how much catcher Jang Sung-woo can contribute. Additionally, the performance of the two teams’ 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.

Moreover, the momentum of chasing teams is no small matter. In particular, the pitching staffs of 8th-place Lotte Giants and 5th-place Doosan Bears currently possess top-tier strength in the league. This advantage can prove even more decisive 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 1st). However, it is regrettable that its lineup lacks power hitting (ranked 7th in home runs, 8th in slugging percentage).

Additionally, 6th-place Hanwha Eagles, despite underperforming 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 mounts a strong push, there remains room to improve its standing. I originally predicted that LG and Hanwha would compete for the 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.

Furthermore, teams engaged in the standings race must focus intently on defeating 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.