The 2026 season opens March 28 and will run 144 games per team, 720 games total. Five openers are scheduled for 2 p.m.: KT Wiz vs. LG Twins at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul; Kiwoom Heroes vs. Hanwha Eagles at Hanwha Life Ballpark in Daejeon; KIA Tigers vs. SSG Landers at Incheon SSG Landers Field; Lotte Giants vs. Samsung Lions at Daegu Samsung Lions Park; and Doosan Bears vs. NC Dinos at Changwon NC Park.
Commentators said the league looks unusually balanced. Min Hoon-ki, a SPOTV analyst, said in a phone interview March 23 that while the past two or three seasons were competitive, “this year is truly an all-time scramble.” Excluding Kiwoom, he said, the other nine clubs have improved and “a dogfight without a runaway team” could last to the end. Kim Sun-woo, an MBC Sports Plus analyst, also said the field has leveled out enough that it is difficult to pick even the top five.
Even so, analysts gave a slight edge to LG, Samsung and KT. Min said defending champion LG has fewer uncertainties and strong depth. He said KT has a solid pitching staff and strengthened its lineup by adding Kim Hyun-soo and Choi Won-jun. Min said Samsung upgraded its offense by signing Choi Hyeong-woo, but added that staying healthy will be crucial. Kim said exhibition games suggested LG “still looks strong,” and that Samsung’s lineup remains potent despite injuries, with the two clubs appearing a step ahead.
The new Asia quota system is expected to be the biggest wild card. Under the rule, teams can sign one player from an Asian league — including Australia — at up to $200,000, with no position restrictions. Nine of the 10 clubs used the slot on a pitcher. KIA was the only team to sign a position player, adding Australian infielder Jared Dale. By nationality, seven of the Asia-quota players are Japanese, two are Australian and one is Taiwanese.
Min said the change effectively gives teams a fourth foreign player and could have an outsized impact if an Asia-quota pitcher emerges as an ace or a closer. Kim said the rule is likely to influence the standings because nearly every club, except KIA, used it to bolster pitching. He added that for SSG — with ace Kim Kwang-hyun no longer on the roster — the performance of Japan’s Takeda Shota has become “extremely important.”
Another storyline is whether Lotte, which finished first in the exhibition standings, can carry that momentum into the season. It was Lotte’s first time atop the exhibition table since 2022, when it tied for first with LG and KIA, and its first outright exhibition title since 2011.
Kim credited Lotte’s strong exhibition run to standout performances by younger players and intense internal competition that has lifted the team’s hitting. He said Lotte lacked power and home runs last season, but could be worth watching if its revamped offense translates to the regular season. Min was more cautious, saying the key question is whether a young core can withstand a long season, adding that while Lotte should compete, it is unclear whether it has top-five strength.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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