The drought has quietly stretched on: Samsung, next in line after Lotte and Hanwha... The desperate reason why

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

It has quietly passed well over a decade.

The Samsung Lions are one of the most prestigious franchises in the KBO League, second only to the KIA Tigers (12 titles, including those won by their predecessor, the Haitai Tigers). As an original member in 1982, Samsung has claimed eight championships. From 2011 to 2014, the team established a "dynasty" by winning four consecutive combined titles.

However, silence has followed since then. After finishing first in the 2015 regular season but ceding the championship to third-place Doosan Bears, Samsung endured a dark period of five consecutive seasons without a postseason berth. In the last five years, the team has tasted autumn baseball three times, but its best result was the runner-up finish in 2024 (losing to KIA 1-4).

The team has gone 11 years without a title through last year. Excluding the Kiwoom Heroes, who have yet to reach the summit since their founding in 2008, Samsung is the third-longest reigning championless franchise, trailing only the Lotte Giants (34 years since 1992) and the Hanwha Eagles (27 years since 1999).

In particular, 2021 remains a source of deep regret. Samsung tied KT Wiz in the pennant race (76 wins, 9 draws, 59 losses) but lost the one-game tiebreaker for first place 0-1. After being pushed to the playoffs, the team suffered a two-game sweep by fourth-place Doosan under the then three-game-two-win format, finishing third overall. KT, which had edged out Samsung by a hair, went on to defeat Doosan in four straight games in the Korea Series to claim its first championship since founding, creating a stark contrast in fortunes between the two teams.

For Samsung, an opportunity for revenge has arrived after five years. The opponent in the 2026 KBO League Korea Series (best-of-seven), which begins on the 3rd, is none other than KT. This will be the first time the two teams face each other in autumn baseball.

Under the current postseason system, it is a fact that KT, the regular season champion, has a significantly higher probability of winning the title. An "upset championship" has not occurred for seven years since SK Wyverns (now SSG Landers) defeated Doosan in 2018. Moreover, Samsung had to fight through a grueling battle against KIA that went all the way to Game 5 in the recent playoffs.

However, from early in the season, voices both inside and outside the Samsung roster frequently stated that "this year is the right time to win." While KT may hold a relative advantage in stamina, Samsung has no intention of falling behind in its desire for the championship. In head-to-head matchups against KT this season, although the team suffered a four-game losing streak at the end, it ultimately led 9-7.

After leading Samsung to victory in Game 5 of the playoffs against KIA on the 1st, manager Park Jin-man stated, "The players did their best and have cleared the first hurdle toward achieving our goal at the start of this season: winning the championship." He reaffirmed his determination for the title, adding, "We will do our utmost to build momentum and achieve our goal."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original