'Is this real?' AG's aces deliver ERA in the 2nd-point range, both of them — the '1+1' bombardment scenario becomes reality. Could Doosan become the ultimate short-series powerhouse? Manager reveals his 'Waka' plan

*This content was translated by AI.

The Doosan Bears have dramatically secured their spot in the postseason. Now, while aiming for the 4th-place finish, they are also preparing for the Wild Card Series.

On the 30th of last month, at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium, Doosan defeated the NC Dinos 6-5 with a thrilling walk-off victory in the bottom of the 9th inning in their home game during the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular season.

With this win, Doosan, who stands alone in 5th place in the league, has recorded 69 wins, 63 losses, and 5 ties, securing a postseason berth regardless of the results of their remaining 7 games. They have won two consecutive games recently.

Doosan now has 7 games left this season. On the same day, the 4th-place KIA Tigers lost their home game against the KT Wiz, narrowing the gap between Doosan and KIA to 3 games.

After the win on the 30th, Manager Kim said, "We completed a beautiful comeback victory with Bears-style baseball that never gives up until the end. The players united as one to secure our postseason berth." He continued, "Leadoff hitter Park Chan-ho in the 9th inning calmly picked his spots and reached base, while Park Jun-soon hit a single to build good momentum. With the bases loaded, Kim Min-seok swung aggressively from the first pitch to tie the game, and Kang Seung-ho contributed with team batting, allowing us to end the game," praising the players without holding back.

For now, Doosan has decided to do their best until the final regular season game.

Manager Kim Won-hyung, the head coach of Doosan, said ahead of the Jamsil game against NC on the 30th, "After yesterday's (September 29) win, we felt a slight relief, but we still have two games left against NC." He emphasized, "The reason we must do our best in the remaining games is that the standings are not yet finalized. We are preparing for what comes next, so we must give it our all in every game."

And ultimately, Doosan has secured their postseason berth on their own merit. However, as Manager Kim said, Doosan's standing is not set in stone. While they have confirmed 5th place, a challenge for 4th place is still possible.

Manager Kim also hinted at his strategy for the Wild Card Series. He stated, "If we win today, our advancement to the Wild Card Series is decided." He added, "In that case, rather than thinking about the Junior Playoffs, our primary goal must be to win the Wild Card Series. (If we come in 5th) We have already determined the starting pitchers for Game 1 and Game 2, and we will keep all other starting pitchers on standby for both games," speaking with emphasis.

If Doosan advances to the postseason, they are expected to wield truly formidable power. Immediately, Doosan possesses Kwak Bin, who served as their top ace at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. He is a strong candidate for the Game 1 starter. Following that, in Game 2, they can utilize Benjamin and Choi Min-seok, both boasting ERAs in the 2nd-point range, as a '1+1' card.

Their luck with the remaining game schedule is also quite good.

Doosan will play a home game against NC on the 1st, take a day off on the 2nd, and then face the Samsung Lions in a three-game road series in Daegu from the 3rd to the 5th.

Meanwhile, KIA will also play a three-game road series against the LG Twins from the 3rd to the 5th. In fact, the outcome of this three-game series could determine who takes 4th place.

Continuing on, Doosan will clash with Lotte (Sajik) on the road on the 6th, then return to Seoul on the 7th to play their final regular season game (away) against LG at Jamsil Stadium. After a four-day break, they will play their last regular season game against Lotte at Jamsil Stadium. If Doosan's standing is confirmed before the final game on the 12th, they are expected to prepare for the Wild Card Series in a much more relaxed state.

Will Doosan be able to create a storm in the remaining season and the Wild Card Series?

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*This content was translated by AI.