"If Avila had joined earlier..." SSG issues caution alert after leading in winning percentage since August; 5 games remaining against NC, 3 against LG

*This content was translated by AI.

"If we had a pitcher like Avila during the first half..."

Kim In-sik (79), former manager of the Korean national baseball team who led the team to two Korea Series titles, expressed regret. In a recent interview with StarNews regarding the 2026 KBO League landscape, Kim stated, "I believe the rosters of all nine teams except Kiwoom Heroes are roughly similar this season. Kiwoom's pitching has improved compared to last year, but their position players have declined somewhat." He added, "If SSG Landers had a pitcher like Avila (29) available earlier in the season, their record would not be as poor as it is now."

As he noted, SSG's first half of this season was undeniably disappointing. The team started strong, going 7-1 in its first eight games to take sole possession of first place. Although they suffered a six-game losing streak from the 7th–14, they maintained second place overall with a 17-10 record by the end of April.

However, an even greater nightmare awaited them. From May 17 to June 2, the team fell into a franchise-record 13-game losing streak (including its predecessor SK Wyverns). In May alone, their winning percentage was a mere 0.200 (5 wins, 1 tie, 20 losses). From June 25 to July 5, they endured another nine-game losing streak (including one tie), dropping to ninth place in the standings. Even team star Choi Jeong (39) admitted, "Our performance during the first half was truly unbelievable and extremely disappointing."

Yet, the foundation of last year's third-place finish remained intact. After restructuring its roster, SSG transformed into an entirely different team. Since the start of the second half on July 16, their record stands at 25-1-17 in 44 games (winning percentage 0.595), placing them second behind KT Wiz (43 games, 29-3-11, winning percentage 0.725).

Their upward momentum continues to intensify. Focusing solely on games played since August, SSG has gone 19-1-10 in 30 contests (winning percentage 0.655), tying with KT (31 games, 19-2-11) for first place. During this period, they achieved a winning series (at least two wins and one loss) in all six three-game series played.

On the mound, foreign pitcher Avila, who joined in the second half, has delivered outstanding performances in 11 games with a 7-1 record and an ERA of 1.29. Rookie starter Kim Min-jun, a high school graduate, has won five consecutive games since late July. Among position players, Kim Jae-hwan (38) has hit seven home runs and driven in 19 runs since August, Jeon Ui-san (26) has recorded six home runs and 20 RBIs, and Park Sung-han (28) has maintained a batting average of 0.339 with 15 RBIs.

SSG currently sits in seventh place, nine games behind fifth-place Doosan Bears. With only 14 games remaining, their dream of reaching the postseason is effectively over.

Nevertheless, SSG's surge has heightened tension among other teams engaged in tight race battles. One team manager remarked, "SSG is scary these days. Their recent record isn't even first overall?" expressing clear concern.

Notably, SSG still faces five games against NC Dinos (currently 6-2-3) and three games against LG Twins (4-9), which could decisively influence the battle for fifth place and the broader standings in the upper tier.

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*This content was translated by AI.