"MVP? It should come from the No. 1 team" Championship-winning manager appeals for Hilliard's support with reason → Also pledges top-tier backing for Ko Young-pyo's bid for most wins title

*This content was translated by AI.

Lee Kang-cheol (60), the "championship-winning master" of the KT Wiz, who reclaimed the throne by topping the regular season, has officially kicked off efforts to manage internal team dynamics and help his players secure individual titles for the remainder of the season. He is strongly advocating for foreign key hitter Sam Hilliard (32) to win the regular season MVP award, while also previewing "top-tier support" at the manager level for domestic ace Ko Young-pyo (35) in his challenge for the most wins title.

Amid a flood of congratulations on winning the regular league, Manager Lee Kang-cheol met with reporters on-site at the Kiwoom Heroes game held at Gocheok Sky Dome on the 6th. While wearing a relaxed smile, he candidly shared his serious yet lighthearted thoughts on the individual titles that need to be secured in the remaining schedule.

The first topic ignited was Hilliard's MVP race, which has struck the KBO League this season. In response to reporters' mention of the fierce home run competition, the manager opened with his characteristic witty tone, stating bluntly, "Shouldn't the MVP come from the No. 1 team?"

Manager Lee Kang-cheol highly praised Hilliard's production of home runs and RBIs, which erupted at every critical moment when the team needed it most. He said, "In the recent intense race for standings, the two-run homer that went over the fence as soon as he made contact in the game against KIA (referring to September 30) had a tremendous impact. With such strong impact, am I the only one feeling this way?" He then emphasized, "Hilliard's influence on the driving force behind the team rising to No. 1 is enormous. He has a presence that can seize the momentum in an instant."

In fact, as of ahead of the game on the 7th, Hilliard has risen to first place in the RBI category with 130, overtaking Austin Dean of the LG Twins. However, with 41 home runs, he forms a second-place group for home runs alongside Austin. He trails Kim Do-young of the KIA Tigers, who leads the home run race alone with 43, by two.

While shouting "Lock in Hilliard's MVP" on the batting side, calculations are busy on the mound regarding the challenge for the most wins title by "domestic ace" Ko Young-pyo. As the competition for the top spot in league wins is underway, Manager Lee Kang-cheol is pondering a tailored pitching plan to help Ko Young-pyo secure the title. With Ko Young-pyo, along with Im Chan-gyu (LG Twins) and Choi Min-seok (Doosan Bears), all recording 14 wins each, the most wins title remains in the fog.

The manager indicated his intention to carefully calculate the remaining game schedule and opponent matchups to adjust pitching intervals. While reviewing the rescheduled lineup due to rain cancellations and other factors, Manager Lee said with a smile, "Pitching once more as a starter is basic, but depending on the flow of the game and the situation, I think we should consider options such as deploying him in relief to secure a win."

He continued, "In fact, the opportunity for the most wins title does not come often during a player's career. Since it is a meaningful honor for both himself and the team, we will actively set the stage and provide support to the extent possible," pledging full backing. In particular, since they finished the regular season in first place, there is nearly a month of preparation time until the Korea Series, which can be interpreted as meaning it is worth attempting.

The gaze of the master who lifted the regular league championship trophy now extends beyond settling for a direct ticket to the Korea Series, turning toward the valuable reward for the key players who led the team to complete the regular season while shedding thick drops of sweat. With Manager Lee Kang-cheol's "special consideration" encompassing Hilliard's MVP and Ko Young-pyo's challenge for the most wins title, the pace of completing the remaining schedule is becoming even more intense.

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*This content was translated by AI.