[Official] KT secures direct path to Korea Series with 7-game winning streak; KIA-LG battle for 3rd place... KBO postseason opens on the 14th, no no-hitters or rainouts in playoffs

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

As the regular season standings race heads toward its climax, the date marking the start of the 2026 autumn baseball has also been confirmed. The 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO postseason will open on October 14 with Game 1 of the Wild Card Series.

The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) announced the 2026 postseason schedule and operational regulations on the 7th.

As of before games on the 7th, the outlines of the five teams advancing to the postseason have already emerged. The KT Wiz lead with a record of 87 wins, 5 draws, and 49 losses, for a winning percentage of .640, while the Samsung Lions have secured second place with 83 wins, 3 draws, and 54 losses (.606). The KIA Tigers and LG Twins sit in third and fourth place, respectively, both with a winning percentage of .547. The Doosan Bears are in fifth place with 73 wins, 5 draws, and 64 losses (.533).

The remaining focus is the battle between KIA and LG for third place. KIA has recorded 75 wins, 2 draws, and 62 losses in 139 games, while LG has posted 76 wins, 1 draw, and 63 losses in 140 games. Although their winning percentages are identical, KIA currently holds the third-place spot.

Recent momentum has diverged significantly. KT, with the regular season title within reach, is on a seven-game winning streak, having recorded 8 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss in its last 10 games. Samsung has also maintained an upward trend with 7 wins and 3 losses in its last 10 games. KIA has stalled with a 5-5 record, while LG has wobbled significantly with 2 wins and 8 losses. However, LG broke its losing streak by defeating the NC Dinos 6-1 on the 6th. Fifth-place Doosan is building momentum ahead of the postseason, boasting an 8-2 record in its last 10 games and a three-game winning streak.

The Wild Card Series, the first hurdle of the postseason, will consist of up to two games. The fourth-place team advances to the Junior Playoffs with just one win or one draw, while the fifth-place team must win both games. Both games will be held at the home stadium of the fourth-place team.

The Junior Playoffs and Playoffs will be best-of-five series, while the Korea Series will be a best-of-seven series. A minimum of one travel day is scheduled between each series. Extra innings will extend up to a maximum of 15 innings; if no winner emerges by the end of the 15th inning, the game will be declared a draw.

If a game in any series other than the Wild Card Series ends in a draw, that game will be replayed as a consecutive game without a travel day at the stadium where the draw occurred, after the final game of that respective series concludes. If two or more draws occur within a single series, the games will be held consecutively with one travel day in between.

Rain rules also differ from those in the regular season. In the 2026 KBO postseason, no-hitters and rainouts will not be applied; only suspended game regulations will be enforced. If a game is suspended, only one game will be played per day, regardless of the inning at which it was halted. Previously scheduled games will be postponed to the following day. If the following day is a travel day, the game will be played on that travel day, and the entire schedule will be postponed by one day. If the following day is the final game of the series, the game will be played on the subsequent day or a travel day, after which the entire schedule will be postponed by one day.

The check-swing video review introduced this season will also be operated in the same manner as in the regular season. For general video reviews, each team may request up to two times during regulation innings. Each team is allowed up to two requests based on regulation innings. If both requests are overturned during regulation innings, the team is granted one additional opportunity. Upon entering extra innings, each team is granted one additional opportunity. Check-swing video review will apply the same method as in the regular season. Accordingly, a total of two review opportunities are granted, and the opportunity is retained if the call is overturned. For extra innings only, one additional opportunity is granted per team.

The home game scheduling format for the Korea Series will follow the 2-3-2 format implemented last year. Games 1, 2, 6, and 7 will be held at the home stadium of the regular season champion, while Games 3, 4, and 5 will be held at the home stadium of the playoff winner.

The number of coaches eligible to travel remains the same as last year: one manager and up to 10 coaches may travel. If 10 coaches are registered, one must be designated as a QC coach or a performance analysis coach. Teams may register 30 players, with 28 eligible to travel. Four foreign players may be registered (including one Asian quota player), with all four eligible to travel.

Regular season games postponed due to rain may be played during the postseason period if they involve teams not related to the postseason or that specific series. Games between teams unrelated to Wild Card Series participants may be held on a travel day between the final day of the regular season and Game 1 of the Wild Card Series.

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

*This content was translated by AI.View Original