Why exactly is it that, with only Kim Hyun-soo of LG missing from the lineup... the key players who were central to their championship ultimately fell silent... Will a "major" wave of change blow? [Pre-Playoffs Game 3 On-Site Report]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

The LG Twins were eliminated from the autumn baseball stage after losing all three games of the Preliminary Playoffs (best-of-five series) in a hollow fashion. Above all, it was painful that the powerful offensive firepower that LG had boasted for so long ultimately failed to ignite. Additionally, Jamsil Baseball Stadium will also disappear into history with the conclusion of this game.

LG suffered a decisive 1-13 defeat against KIA in Game 3 of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO Postseason Preliminary Playoffs held at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium on the 20th.

LG had already lost Games 1 and 2 of the series, which were held at Gwangju-KIA Champions Field. Cornered against the wall, they attempted a counterattack in this third game. However, with starting pitcher Carlos Karasco being removed before completing two innings, they ultimately suffered a helpless three-game losing streak.

Last season, LG defeated the Hanwha Eagles with a series score of 4-1 in the Korea Series to claim the championship. Therefore, expectations were even higher for this season. Had they won this season, they could have formally established their dynasty and firmly cemented their position as a strong team in the league.

However, the bats particularly failed to perform. LG remained at 8th place in team batting average (0.264) during this year's regular season. This situation was all the more awkward given that LG had ranked 1st in team batting average (0.278) last season.

Excluding only Austin (0.331), no batter surpassed a .300 batting average. Park Hae-min (0.288), Moon Sung-ju (0.284), and Cheon Seong-ho (0.283) followed behind. Koo Bon-hyuk (0.278), Moon Jung-bin (0.277), and Song Chan-ui (0.274) marked batting averages in the .270 range.

When LG won the Korea Series last year, defeating Hanwha in the final Game 5, Hong Chang-ki, Shin Min-jae, Kim Hyun-soo, Moon Bo-kyung, Austin, Oh Ji-hwan, Park Dong-won, Koo Bon-hyuk, and Park Hae-min started. Comparing this to this season's lineup, it is no exaggeration to say that there was almost no change except for Kim Hyun-soo (KT Wiz), who left the team as a free agent.

However, these regulars, who were supposed to provide confidence, performed poorly. Park Dong-won (0.225), Hong Chang-ki (0.239), Oh Ji-hwan (0.242), Shin Min-jae (0.251), and Moon Bo-kyung (0.258) all failed to surpass a .260 batting average.

This atmosphere carried over directly to the autumn baseball stage. In Game 1 of the Preliminary Playoffs, Park Hae-min hit three hits and Song Chan-ui hit two in a valiant effort, but the team managed only seven total hits. In Game 2, Park Hae-min struggled with three hits and Koo Bon-hyuk recorded two hits, but they lacked focus. And in today's Game 3, aside from Koo Bon-hyuk recording multiple hits, they collapsed with eight hits and one run. Hong Chang-ki was given a pinch-hitting opportunity with one out and a runner on first base in the seventh inning, but he bowed his head after striking out on three pitches.

Before today's game, LG Manager Yeom Kyung-yeop emphasized, "As seen in Games 1 and 2, we ultimately need to win the battle of the offense. I think both teams' defensive baseball has come up almost evenly matched. Two or three players from our lineup need to break the ice. KIA has players who anchor the center, such as Kim Do-young and Park Jae-hyun, along with their foreign batter (Castro), so their batting flow is good. I feel that those who can unravel the game for us should be the ones to solve it."

However, the firepower LG boasted last year ultimately failed to ignite even in the final autumn baseball game. After the defeat, the LG team bid farewell with a banner reading, "Thank you for your support. We will repay you with better results next year." Now, LG must prepare for next season. Attention is also focused on whether Hong Chang-ki and Park Dong-won, who are set to gain free agent (FA) eligibility, will remain with the team. How exactly will LG be reborn in a new form next year?

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original