"Is this what fall baseball is really like?" Kim Tae-hyung sees 'Fall KIA' as an unbeatable team, standing at the center of the PO race [Daegu On-Site]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

"I think this is what fall baseball is like. The atmosphere is incredibly good."

Three wins in three games. For Kim Tae-hyung (20, KIA Tigers), who is experiencing fall baseball for the first time, KIA is a team that does not know defeat in the autumn.

KIA will take the field in Game 1 of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO Postseason Playoffs (PO, best-of-five series) against the Samsung Lions, scheduled to be held at Daegu Samsung Lions Park on the 26th.

Although they are underdogs who advanced through the semi-playoffs, they secured a clean three-game winning streak and then rested for five days due to rain cancellations before entering the POs. The situation has rendered the physical stamina issues, typically a weakness of lower-seeded teams, irrelevant.

James Neal, Adam Oller, and Shirokawa Keisho all delivered outstanding performances that exceeded expectations, securing all three wins as starting pitcher victories. Meanwhile, the lineup showcased formidable firepower by racking up 32 hits and 24 runs across three games. In fact, the concern now is whether the batting sense of the higher-seeded team might cool down.

Kim Tae-hyung, a local boy who donned the KIA uniform as the fifth pick in the first round last year, pitched 79⅓ innings across 24 games this season, recording a 3-4 record and an ERA of 4.99. While not a 100% satisfactory performance, he delivered crucial contributions in his nine second-half appearances with a 1-1 record and an ERA of 3.56.

His experience in fall baseball is still limited. Last year, the team did not reach the postseason stage. This time, he rested in Games 1 and 2 of the semi-playoffs and took the mound in Game 3 when the score gap had widened significantly, delivering a scoreless one-inning performance to warm up ahead of the POs.

Meeting with reporters before the game, Kim Tae-hyung said, "Because I threw a lot, my form seemed inconsistent at times, but as the end of the second half approached, the feeling from when I was pitching better returned, allowing me to throw strong pitches." He added, "I am ready to pitch at full strength whenever I go out. Since it is my first time in fall baseball, I am much more nervous and tense than usual. I thought I wouldn't be shaking while warming up my arm, but once I got on the pitcher's mound, I was extremely nervous. I just looked at the middle of the plate and threw."

For Kim Tae-hyung, KIA in the fall is a team that does not lose. He stated, "It is my first experience with fall baseball, so I am nervous and excited, but because my older teammates and seniors are doing such a great job, it feels like we are climbing steadily." He continued, "I think this is what fall baseball is like. The atmosphere is so good right now that if I trust my seniors and keep playing, I believe we can climb even higher."

He hopes to stand at the center of it all himself. Kim Tae-hyung said, "Of course, I want to go out and play. I don't know in what situation I will be called upon, but I do not want to give up or allow runs. I want to throw somewhat stronger pitches than in the regular season."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original