Ace Won Tae-in, bullpen → 3-day rest FedEx 50 pitches SV! Samsung's 12-year drought broken by Park Jin-man's bold decision: "In short series, you cannot play by the book" [Samsung V9]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

When asked what he would say to himself two years ago, when his team finished as runner-up in the Korea Series (KS), Park Jin-man (50), manager of the Samsung Lions, answered without hesitation. In the regular season, he managed games according to conventional wisdom, but it was different in the postseason. With bold pitcher changes and unconventional tactics that blurred the line between starting and relief pitchers, he led Samsung to its first championship in 12 years.

On the 8th, Samsung delivered a decisive 12-1 victory over KT Wiz in Game 5 of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO Korea Series (best-of-seven) at Daegu Samsung Lions Park. After losing Game 1, the team won four consecutive games to reclaim the top spot for the first time since 2014, ending a 12-year title drought.

Manager Park's pitching strategy was unconventional again on this day. After starting pitcher Won Tae-in (26) pitched well with five innings of work, allowing four hits and one run while striking out five, he brought Chris Fedak (30) to the mound in the sixth inning.

Fedak, who had thrown 102 pitches over seven innings just four days earlier in Game 2, sealed the championship with a perfect performance over the remaining four innings, allowing no runners on base and recording four strikeouts. Won Tae-in also navigated between bullpen and starting roles during this Korea Series, maintaining an unbeaten record with one win and an ERA of 1.35 across two games.

In a press conference immediately after winning the championship, Manager Park explained, "We employed many unconventional strategies in this year's postseason. During the regular season, we operated almost entirely by convention, but our thinking changed after experiencing the 2024 Korea Series and last year's postseason."

He continued, "I realized that in short series, you cannot operate strictly within a fixed framework. When it is absolutely necessary to change the momentum, you must make the change." He added, "To maintain the flow of the game, I decided that we had to push through with strong pitchers by any means necessary, even if it meant the players were struggling."

In fact, Samsung did not adhere to strict roles or pitching intervals for its starting pitchers during this postseason. In the playoffs, Ariel Hurdado was responsible for two wins, while Won Tae-in contributed as a relief pitcher. Fedak continued to take the mound despite short rest periods, and Lee Seung-min appeared in nearly every game from the playoffs through the Korea Series.

Manager Park stated, "Fedak also pitched close to 100 pitches at three-day intervals starting from the playoffs, and Hurdado recorded two wins in the playoffs. Lee Seung-min also played in almost every game." He expressed his gratitude, adding, "This result was possible because our players followed through well. It is difficult to single out one person. Our players united as one to win the championship."

The turning point where the change in pitching strategy shone was Game 2. Samsung trailed 0-8 in Game 1 and fought back to within a run at 7-8, but ultimately lost. However, in Game 2, they won 3-2 after a close contest that went into the 12th inning of extra innings, evening the series. They then returned to Daegu and won all of Games 3 through 5.

Manager Park reflected, "In Game 1, we gave up many runs early on, but as we chased, we confirmed that we could compete with the power of our lineup in the middle and late innings." He added, "Game 2 was truly important. I wonder if the series would have ended with a four-game loss had we lost there. We aimed for one win and one loss in Suwon, but by winning a difficult game, we brought that momentum to Daegu."

The players' spirit of playing through injuries also stood out. Go Ja-wook (33) played in all five Korea Series games despite a left hamstring injury and was named MVP. Kang Min-ho (41) was also not in perfect physical condition, and Choi Hyeong-woo (43) handled outfield defense despite poor pelvic health.

Manager Park said, "It is the same for (Go) Ja-wook and (Kang) Min-ho. (Choi) Hyeong-woo's pelvis was not in good shape, but he hid his pain and went out to play defense." He added, "(Lee) Seung-min also played in nearly every game from the playoffs through the Korea Series. I am especially grateful to the players who continued to appear in games with such painful bodies."

For Manager Park, who had experienced six Korea Series championships as a player, his first title as a manager was special. He stated, "This is my first championship as a manager, and it is vastly different from winning as a player. As a player, individual strengths combine to win the championship, but as a manager, you must change the players' situations, the atmosphere, and the overall flow of the game. Pitching changes were truly difficult." He emphasized, "Winning as a manager is incredibly hard to express in words. The players are truly admirable and I am proud of them."

The reason he wanted to tell his 2024 self to "be cold-blooded" lay here. A prime example was keeping Fedak on the mound until the end in Game 5 that day. Manager Park said, "We do not do it to create a special narrative. To win the championship, you must be decisively cool-headed." He added, "Compared to that time (2024), I have definitely become cooler and more cold-blooded. I believe that is why we were able to win the championship."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original