'599 wins only with KT' Manager Lee Kang-cheol will become one of only four managers in KBO history to join Kim Eung-yong, Kim Jae-bak, and Kim Tae-hyung with just one more win

*This content was translated by AI.

Lee Kang-cheol (60), manager of the KT Wiz, who are engaged in a fierce battle for first place, is just one win away from reaching 600 career wins in KBO League history.

The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) announced on the 10th that "Manager Lee Kang-cheol has only one win remaining to reach his 600th career victory."

The manager recorded his 599th career win with a 2-0 victory over the Daegu Samsung Lions on the 9th. With just one more win, he will become the 13th manager in KBO history to reach 600 wins. Among active managers, he is fourth after Hanwha's Kim Kyung-moon, Lotte's Kim Tae-hyung, and LG's Yeom Kyung-yeop.

What makes this even more special is that all 599 wins were achieved with KT. The manager was appointed as the third commander of KT in October 2018. He recorded his first win as a manager against the Suwon KIA Tigers on March 29, 2019, and reached 100 wins in 2020 and 200 wins in 2021. Notably, in 2021, he led KT to its first-ever regular season and Korean Series double championship, creating the brightest page in the club's history.

Since then, the manager recorded his 300th win against the Changwon NC Dinos on September 25, 2022; his 400th win against the Suwon Kiwoom Heroes on May 4, 2024; and his 500th win against the Jamsil Doosan Bears on July 4, 2025. This year, he has continued to lead the team for his eighth consecutive season, accumulating victories and leaving just one step away from reaching 600 wins.

Only three managers have recorded their first win through 600 wins with a single team: Kim Eung-yong (Haitai), Kim Jae-bak (Hyundai Unicorns), and Kim Tae-hyung (Doosan). If the manager adds one more win, he will become the fourth in history.

For now, there is little time to reflect on personal records because KT is engaged in the hottest standings battle at the end of the regular season. Last weekend, KT lost all three games against KIA in Gwangju, temporarily handing the first-place spot to Samsung. However, on the 9th, they immediately counterattacked in a direct matchup with first-place Samsung.

Ace Ko Young-pyo held the Samsung lineup scoreless over seven innings, allowing four hits and one walk while striking out five batters. In the sixth inning, tied at 0-0, Kim Hyun-soo hit a go-ahead two-run home run against Won Tae-in to complete the 2-0 victory. Son Dong-hyun and Park Young-hyun also each held their respective innings scoreless.

With this win, KT snapped both its five-game losing streak against Samsung and its five-game road losing streak in Daegu, improving to 71 wins, three ties, and 46 losses with a winning percentage of 0.607. First-place Samsung stands at 73 wins, three ties, and 47 losses with a winning percentage of 0.608. The game difference is just half a game, and the winning percentage gap is only 0.001. In their last 10 games, KT recorded six wins and four losses, still aiming for a direct ticket to the Korean Series until the very end.

The manager's career record stands at 1,124 games, 599 wins, 498 losses, and 27 ties, with a winning percentage of 0.546. The KBO plans to present a commemorative award to Manager Lee Kang-cheol according to its award regulations once he achieves his 600th win.

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*This content was translated by AI.