Samsung, This Is True One-Team Spirit! Kim Jae-yoon’s Departure → Won Tae-in’s Swingman Dedication → Choi Hyeong-woo’s “Fighting Spirit” in Defense at Age 43

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Even the bad luck of injuries to key players could not dampen the fierce momentum of the lion army. The Samsung Lions, who united even more strongly in the face of crisis, finally lifted the emotional Korea Series championship trophy for the first time in 12 years.

Samsung secured a decisive victory with a 12-1 win over KT Wiz in Game 5 of the “2026 Shinhan SOL KBO Korea Series” held on the 8th at Daegu Samsung Lions Park, clinching the series title with a record of four wins and one loss. It was a moment to reclaim the throne of the Korea Series for the first time since the 2014 season, a span of no less than 12 years.

It was a glamorous finale, but behind it lay the “tearful fighting spirit” of a team that endured through gritted teeth. Ahead of the postseason, Samsung faced the shocking news that Kim Jae-yoon, their most reliable card and core closer, had to step aside due to a sudden injury involving damage to the right rectus femoris muscle and fascia. In a short series where every inning is precious, losing a key bullpen arm was tantamount to a fatal blow.

But Samsung had its “domestic ace,” Won Tae-in. To prevent the team’s crisis, Won Tae-in took on the role of a “swingman,” moving between starting and relief duties, and showed dazzling dedication on the pitcher's mound. The ace’s quiet sacrifice became the catalyst that awakened the entire team.

The position players were themselves an embodiment of “fighting spirit.” Choi Hyeong-woo, a 43-year-old veteran, willingly put on his glove to start at left fielder for the team, demonstrating a self-sacrificing defensive fighting spirit. Despite extreme physical strain, he led his younger teammates and solidly shouldered one pillar of the outfield. Adding to this, Captain Koo Ja-yook, who had previously stepped aside due to injury, miraculously returned to the field, adding weight to the lineup. Koo Ja-yook’s return was described by the club’s training department as a miracle in itself.

Above all, it was Kang Min-ho, the team’s catcher, who moved the fans deeply. He was in the worst possible condition, suffering from a severe rib injury that made it impossible to hold a bat or execute a normal swing. Yet driven solely by his desperate desire for his first Korea Series championship debut, he endured extreme pain, put on his mask, and ultimately led the pitchers to share in the moment of victory.

No one was fully intact, but whenever someone fell, another perfectly filled the void. Starting with Won Tae-in’s swingman dedication that offset Kim Jae-yoon’s departure, followed by Choi Hyeong-woo’s defensive fighting spirit at age 43, and then the injured-but-fighting spirits of Koo Ja-yook and Kang Min-ho. Samsung’s fall of 2026, which completed the miracle of reclaiming the top spot after 12 years, will remain as the most moving drama proving what “true one-team” means.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original