"Doosan will suffer the biggest blow; Taiwan's pitching strength could be two levels above Korea's" — Can AG five-peat be achieved? [22nd Anniversary Special ⑤]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Korean baseball has consistently shown strong performances at the Asian Games, securing six gold medals, one silver, and one bronze. What about this year's Asian Games?

Baseball was first included as an official event at the 1994 Hiroshima Asian Games. At that time, with professional players banned from participation, a pure amateur Seon Su-deul-ro (CEO) team was formed to compete. In the final against Japan, Korea narrowly lost by one run (4-5) and claimed the silver medal.

Subsequently, at the 1998 Bangkok Games and the 2002 Busan Games, Korea reclaimed its pride in baseball by winning gold medals. At the 1998 tournament, a "Dream Team" was assembled centered around Korean Major Leaguer Park Chan-ho. Facing Japan, whose team was primarily composed of amateur social league players, Korea dominated with a decisive 13-1 victory in the final. In the 2002 Busan Games as well, Korea secured back-to-back gold medals by defeating Taiwan 4-3 in the final, presenting a gold medal to the nation on home soil.

However, at the 2006 Doha Games, Korea fell to third place behind first-place Taiwan and second-place Japan. That tournament featured six teams playing a round-robin format, with medals awarded based on overall standings. Korea suffered a disastrous loss, falling 2-4 to Taiwan in the opening match and then losing 7-10 to Japan in the second match.

But no further humiliation at the Asian Games followed. Since then, Korea achieved the remarkable feat of winning four consecutive gold medals. At the 2010 Guangzhou Games, Korea went undefeated with five straight wins. In the 2014 Incheon Games, Korea staged a dramatic comeback, scoring four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to overcome a 2-3 deficit and secure victory. At the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Games, Korea defeated Japan 3-0 to claim gold. In the 2022 Hangzhou Games, Korea beat Taiwan 2-0, completing a four-peat with a golden finale.

The baseball tournament at the upcoming September 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games is expected to ignite into an intense gold medal battle among South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. South Korea aims for a five-peat, Japan seeks to reclaim the title after 32 years, and powerful rival Taiwan will clash with each showcasing their unique strengths.

Japan, aiming for victory on home soil, has assembled its team from amateur social league players. Seven players from Toyota Automobile, a powerhouse club based in the host region, form the core of the squad. Since July, they have undergone long-term camp training to maximize team cohesion. Having adapted to local climate and venues, their strengths lie in precise tactical execution and solid defensive capabilities.

The Korean national team led by manager Ryu Ji-hyun has balanced offense and defense by adding top-tier wildcards such as Noh Si-hwan, Moon Bo-kyung, and Kwak Bin to its roster of under-25 KBO League prospects. Their peak competitive sharpness honed through a grueling regular season, combined with clear motivations including the Asian Games five-peat and military service benefits, are their greatest assets. The key will be completing detailed team organization within the short period after call-up.

Taiwan has focused on firepower by heavily recruiting overseas players. Players competing in the U.S. and Japan have been included in the roster alongside Hanwha left-hander Wang Yencheng. Fireballers throwing fastballs in the mid-to-late 150 km/h range are undoubtedly threatening. However, concerns remain regarding potential power losses due to injuries and coordination issues with player call-ups, as well as insufficient team chemistry.

Ultimately, this tournament is expected to become a three-way battle between "Korea's competitive sharpness," "Japan's organizational strength," and "Taiwan's individual talent." For Korea, the key to achieving a five-peat lies in exploiting Taiwan's unstable organization in the group stage and overcoming Japan's stingy baseball and home-field advantage in the Super Round.

The first major hurdle toward a gold medal may not be the final but the group stage match against Taiwan. Korea has been placed in Group B along with Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Thailand. Japan, China, Philippines, and Palestine are in Group A.

Based on objective strength, Japan is favored to finish first in Group A, followed by China in second place. Given the tournament format where each group's top team faces a runner-up from another group, securing first place in Group B is crucial for Korea. Since group stage results directly carry over to the Super Round, even a single loss in the group stage could deal a fatal blow to Korea's gold medal aspirations.

The problem lies in Taiwan's formidable strength. Taiwan has assembled what amounts to its strongest possible lineup, including seven players who participated in the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC), along with numerous players from the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) and U.S. leagues.

Cho Gye-hyun, KBO Jeon Ryeok-gang-hwa (Chairman) who is responsible for analyzing team strength, stated, "Taiwanese baseball has improved significantly across pitching, hitting, fielding, and base running." Regarding pitching specifically, he cautioned, "They could be one-and-a-half to two levels above us."

Japan also cannot be taken lightly. Although they have formed a team from amateur social league players Seon Su-deul-ro (CEO), it is evaluated that they have gathered the best available members due to their status as host nation.

Nevertheless, Korea aims for gold. In short tournaments, factors such as opponent analysis, pitching management, and concentration in individual games are just as important as overall team strength. Jo (Chairman) emphasized, "Our players have a fighting spirit that drives them to fight for their lives in international competitions," adding, "Our goal is victory."

During the Asian Games period, the KBO League will continue without schedule interruptions. Attention is also focused on the advantages and disadvantages caused by player call-ups. Although each club is limited to a maximum of three starting pitchers being called up, significant differences are expected depending on each player's performance this season and team circumstances.

In a situation where the top-five structure seemed solidified, fifth-place Doosan Bears have lost three consecutive games while sixth-place NC Dinos have won five straight, narrowing the gap to 5.5 games. Coincidentally, Doosan appears to be the team most severely affected by player call-ups for this Asian Games, making the late-season battle for top-five status even more intriguing.

Doosan will send Kwak Bin and Choi Min-seok, who have grown into the league's top starting resources, to the Asian Games. Together they have recorded 24 wins. Kwak Bin leads in ERA (2.31) and strikeouts (177), while Choi Min-seok ranks first in winning percentage (0.813) and is tied for first in wins (13). Park Jun-soon has also firmly held down second base, maintaining second place in team batting average (0.309), home runs (16), and RBIs (57).

In contrast, only starting shortstop Kim Ju-won will be absent from NC. There will be no pitcher departures. A baseball official stated, "It seems Doosan will suffer the biggest blow. Kwak Bin and Choi Min-seok have grown into top-level starters this season, so their absence will have a significant impact. Additionally, Park Jun-soon plays a substantial role in hitting."

In the fierce battle for first place, Samsung appears relatively advantaged. KT will be without closer Park Young-hyun and starting resources So Hyoung-jun and Oh Won-seok, facing a major blow similar to Doosan. Although Samsung will also lose key reliever Bae Chan-seung, they have replacement options. While Kim Ji-chan's departure is painful, players such as Koo Ja-wook, Kim Sung-yoon, Kim Heon-kon, and Park Seong-gyu are considered cards that can minimize the power vacuum. The question remains who will fill the vacant shortstop position left by Lee Jae-hyun.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.View Original