"From 8 runs in the first 6 innings to just 3 in 23 innings" Why did the bats of KT, who led the league in runs scored, batting average, and on-base percentage, go cold? [KS3 On-site]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Where did the bats that produced 8 runs in the first 6 innings of the opening game go? The lineup of the KT Wiz, which ranked first in the regular season in runs scored, batting average, and on-base percentage, has rapidly cooled off in the Korea Series (KS).

On the 6th, at Daegu Samsung Lions Park, KT lost to the Samsung Lions 1-5 in Game 3 of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO Korea Series (best-of-seven format). Following an 8-7 victory in Game 1, a 2-3 loss in Game 2, and a 1-5 loss in Game 3, KT fell into a two-game losing streak, trailing the series 1-2.

The most prominent issue is the offense. KT scored 8 runs through the sixth inning of Game 1. An Hyun-min, Han Seung-taek, and Kim Hyun-soo all hit home runs, while Sam Hilliard also contributed with extra-base hits.

However, the momentum shifted starting from the seventh inning. KT failed to add a single run in the final two innings of Game 1. In Game 2, they managed only 2 runs through 12 innings of extra time, and in Game 3, they were limited to just 1 run. After scoring 8 runs in the first 6 innings, they managed only 3 runs over a span of 23 innings.

Game 3 was even more frustrating. KT took an early lead with a double by Kim Min-hyuk and a RBI double by Hilliard in the top of the first inning, but then fell silent for the next 8 innings. In the top of the seventh inning with one out, pinch hitter Jang Jin-hyuk hit a double, prompting KT to make a bold move by sending Choi Won-jun and Lee Jung-hoon up as consecutive pinch hitters. However, they both retired on a shortstop flyout and a first baseman ground ball, respectively.

What is the problem? In this year's regular season, KT led the league in all categories with a team batting average of .286, 1,441 hits, 825 runs scored, and an on-base percentage of .367. Their slugging percentage was also third at .415, and their OPS was tied for first at .782. Although they ranked seventh with 121 home runs, they were the team that produced the most runs in the league based on hits and getting on base.

First, a long break of about three weeks can be cited as a reason. The biggest advantage for the regular season champion advancing directly to the Korea Series is the ability to recover the stamina of tired players and treat injuries. On the other hand, there is also the downside that they may lose their hitting feel due to a long absence from actual games. To address this, KT played practice games against the Military Sports Agency (Sangmu) and others. Conversely, Samsung sharpened their competitive edge by engaging in a fierce back-and-forth battle through Game 5 of the playoffs against the KIA Tigers after their break.

It is difficult to explain the slump with rest alone. KT showed good hitting form from practice games onward, and in Game 1, they pulled Samsung starter Choi Won-tae off early, scoring 8 runs through the sixth inning, including 3 home runs. Rather, it was the outstanding pitching of the opposing starting pitchers that proved decisive. In Game 2, Samsung's Chris Fiddick allowed only 1 run over 7 innings, and in Game 3, Ariel Hurdado also held the KT lineup to just 1 run over 7 innings. They managed to score only 2 runs against these two starters over 14 innings. Even the connection between getting on base and hitting, which KT was most confident in, was broken.

More fatally, there have been consecutive injuries among key hitters. Kim Hyun-soo injured his left finger during defense in Game 1, and Kim Sang-soo missed Game 2 due to pain in his left heel. Kim Sang-soo returned for Game 3 despite being in pain but went hitless in 4 at-bats. To make matters worse, Choi Won-jun, who hit 208 hits in the regular season, collided with the fence during defense in Game 2 and injured his left thumb. Even Heo Kyung-min, a third baseman and former Golden Glove winner with a .330 batting average, was excluded from the starting lineup for Game 3 due to a case of stiff neck (torticollis) in his left chest area.

Choi Won-jun is a core leadoff hitter who recorded a .356 batting average, 208 hits, and 125 runs scored. He also drove in 3 hits in Game 2. Heo Kyung-min also played a central role in the offense with a tying RBI hit in Game 2 and a double in the bottom of the ninth inning. With these two players simultaneously leaving the starting lineup, holes inevitably opened up in the batting order. KT made significant adjustments to the lineup, including Kim Min-hyuk as the No. 1 hitter, An Hyun-min as right fielder, and Ryu Hyun-in as third baseman, but it had no effect.

To make matters worse, in this Game 3, An Hyun-min suffered ankle pain while falling after attempting to catch a ball heading toward the top of the right-field wall. Perhaps due to this, An Hyun-min went hitless in 4 at-bats on that day.

As holes opened up in what had been a tightly packed lineup, problems also emerged in their power production, which they had tried to ignore. This year, out of KT's 121 team home runs, Hilliard accounted for 36.4% with 44. The only other players with double-digit home runs were An Hyun-min and Kim Hyun-soo (both with 14), and Jang Seong-woo (12). It was not a lineup where home runs were evenly distributed, but in the regular season, they compensated for this with a high on-base percentage.

However, in the Korea Series, home runs have been absent for two consecutive games after the 3rd home runs in Game 1, and their ability to string together hits to score has also declined. Injuries to key hitters drove the nail into the coffin. Jang Seong-woo, whom they tried hard to keep alive, is still failing to meet expectations with no hits in 5 at-bats over 3 games.

The cold weather is also a variable. In Daegu, where Game 3 was held, temperatures dropped into single digits and strong winds blew, causing players to express difficulties. While it is not possible to blame the cold alone given that Samsung scored 5 runs in the same environment, it is an unwelcome condition for KT, which is suffering from a surge of injuries.

The schedule is also no easy task. KT will play Games 4 and 5 at the same venue at 2 p.m. on the 7th and 8th. Since they are transitioning directly from a night game in Game 3 to day games, there is insufficient time for player recovery and lineup adjustments. How will KT break through this difficult situation?

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original