'We might face a disaster trying to uphold the unwritten rule' — Even Manager Kim Tae-hyung and Manager Lee Beom-ho admitted to throwing the towel in an 11-run deficit in the 8th inning...

*This content was translated by AI.

To what extent should the unwritten rule apply in Korean baseball? In the KBO League, where the talent gap between leading and chasing teams is significant due to a thin player pool, just how many runs must separate the teams before one can feel secure?

The Lotte Giants vs. KIA Tigers game on the 26th in Gwangju.

With KIA leading 11-5, they began their offensive turn in the bottom of the 7th inning. With one out and bases loaded, KIA capitalized on a wild pitch by Lotte reliever Lee Min-seok to add another run. As Kim Do-young reached base via a walk, Castro followed with a grand slam over the right-field fence. The score instantly jumped to 16-5 — an 11-run lead.

Immediately after Castro's home run, Lotte made a massive pitching change. Replacing Reyes, Han Dong-hee, Go Seung-min, Jang Du-seong, and Park Geon-woo were Noh Jin-hyuk, Kim Dong-hyeok, Jung Dae-sun, Lee Ho-jun, and Park Jae-yeop. This move was practically equivalent to throwing in the towel.

In response, KIA made substitutions ahead of their defensive turn in the top of the 8th inning, replacing Kim Do-young, Castro, Kim Tae-gun, and Lee Ho-yeon with Oh Sun-woo, Kim Min-gyu, Ju Hyo-sang, and Jung Hyun-chang. These were lineup adjustments meant to manage player stamina, typically reserved for situations where victory is virtually assured.

However, the situation changed dramatically during Lotte's offensive turn in the top of the 8th inning. Yoon Dong-hee hit a leadoff home run, followed by Park Seung-wook's two-run single with two outs and bases loaded. Castro then delivered a two-run double to left field, and Lee Ho-jun added another two-run single to left field. Lotte scored six runs in total.

The game, once 16-5 with an 11-run lead, was quickly narrowed to 16-11 — just a five-run deficit. In modern baseball, a five-run gap is certainly not insurmountable within a single inning. For the leading team, this means that attempting to uphold the unwritten rule could result in a disastrous comeback loss.

So, does the unwritten rule — such as prohibiting stolen bases — still apply when facing an 11-run deficit in the 8th inning?

Regarding this, KIA manager Lee Beom-ho stated in an interview with reporters on the 27th: "It definitely applies in the 8th inning." He added, "In yesterday's game, Lotte did not initially move their first baseman back. So we kept our first baseman positioned near first base throughout the later innings."

He continued, "When Lotte narrowed the gap to five runs, it was only natural for us to keep our first baseman close to first base. In general, I believe the unwritten rule is applied when a team trailing by about 10 runs in the 7th inning moves their infielders back."

Lotte manager Kim Tae-hyung also commented: "In an 8th-inning situation with an 11-run deficit, players obviously don't run. I understand that in the 9th inning, runners typically don't attempt to steal when the lead is around six runs. In fact, even with a five-run lead in the 9th, managers of both leading and trailing teams rarely attempt such strategies due to caution." He concluded, "However, in short series, I'm not sure. There are no unwritten rules in short series."

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*This content was translated by AI.