“Please, get some runners on base” — KIA can’t leverage Kim Do-young; Nos. 1 and 2 batting average “just 0.083”… Manager Lee’s worries grow [PO3]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Kim Do-young (23, KIA Tigers), who collected three home runs and eight RBIs in the three-game Junior Playoffs, is swinging a hot bat with a .455 batting average (five hits in 11 at-bats) despite intense defensive attention in the Playoffs. The problem, however, is that he is rarely being set up for success.

KIA suffered a 4-6 comeback loss to Samsung in the third game of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO Postseason Playoffs (best-of-five series) at Daegu Samsung Lions Park on the 29th.

KIA had won three straight games in the Junior Playoffs, rested for five days, and captured the first game of the Playoffs, boosting their probability of advancing to the Korea Series to 77.1% (27/35). It was widely believed that KIA now occupied a more advantageous position. However, that momentum did not last long.

The starting pitchers failed to reach the fifth inning in all three games, and the burden on the bullpen is increasing. Kim Do-young is fighting an isolated battle. After showcasing immense power in the Junior Playoffs to claim the series MVP, Kim continues to display consistent hitting form in this series as well.

In the three games of the series, Kim has shown explosive power with a .455 batting average (five hits in 11 at-bats), one home run, one double, one RBI, one stolen base, one walk, and one strikeout, along with an on-base percentage of .538, a slugging percentage of .818, and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 1.356. One could hardly ask for better performance.

The issue is that few opportunities are being created for Kim Do-young. Manager Lee Beom-ho’s concerns regarding the table setters have persisted throughout the series. The starting table setters in the three games posted a .083 batting average (two hits in 24 at-bats), with no walks and 10 strikeouts.

After Park Jeong-woo, the No. 1 hitter, went hitless in five at-bats with two strikeouts, and Park Jae-hyun, the No. 2 hitter, went hitless in four at-bats with two strikeouts in the first game, Lee stated, “It will be determined whether we can score in bulk based on how the table setters move as expected.” He added, “(Kim) Do-young, (Herald) Castro, and (Na) Seong-beom provided RBIs, allowing us to take control of the game from the start. It is important for the No. 1 and No. 2 hitters’ conditions to improve.”

In the second game, Park Jae-hyun, who had played well defensively despite going hitless the previous day, started at No. 1, while Lee Ho-yeon was inserted at No. 2. Manager Lee said, “(Lee) Ho-yeon hit Huardo’s pitches well during the regular season, and Jeong-woo did not look to be in great condition. After deliberating on who to use as the designated hitter, we decided based on various considerations because he is one of the few hitters on the team who hits Huardo well. Since Nos. 1 and 2 seem important, we are sending Jae-hyun and Ho-yeon out at Nos. 1 and 2.”

Although Park Jae-hyun recorded one hit in five at-bats, Lee Ho-yeon went hitless in two at-bats before being substituted. The team also lost the game 3-8, tying the series.

After moving to Gwangju, changes were made again. Kim Ho-ryeong, who had performed well against Choi Won-tae, was placed at No. 2, while Park Jae-hyun remained at No. 1. “Kim Sun-bin said his leg felt heavy, so I was a bit hesitant to put him at No. 2,” Lee explained. “It would be good for him to go to No. 2, but given his condition today, it seemed right for him to stay at No. 6, so we arranged it that way.”

In the end, it was another failure. Kim Sun-bin recorded one hit and one walk in three at-bats for two walks and one run scored, but Kim Ho-ryeong bowed his head after striking out four times in four at-bats.

Ultimately, despite hitting five times, Kim Do-young failed to record an RBI even once, excluding his solo home run. In the Junior Playoffs, with runners on base, he went 2-for-4 with two home runs, one walk, and seven RBIs; in scoring position, he went 1-for-3 with one walk and five RBIs (including the aforementioned total), leading the team to the Playoffs. However, the situation has changed completely in this series.

With no runners on base, he went 4-for-8, but opportunities with runners on base were scarce. He went 1-for-3 with runners on base and had only two chances in scoring position.

After the loss in the third game, Manager Lee Beom-ho expressed his concerns about the table setters. “All players are taking turns (as table setters), and while they would want to raise their condition as quickly and high as possible, it is not coming along well,” he said. “In big games like these, players in good condition tend to stay connected, but I think those who are not in good shape can have difficult games. We will consider how to arrange the batting order for tomorrow. Since this is the final game, we need to check data to determine what allows us to play the most probable baseball and build the starting lineup accordingly.”

KIA has been pushed to the brink. A loss means the end of their season. Will the table setters be able to fulfill their role in the fourth game? They are expected to become a crucial variable that will decide the outcome of the day.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original