The Samsung Lions and KIA Tigers will meet in the postseason for the first time in two years. This matchup comes as both teams prepare for the Korean Series (KS), a best-of-seven format. Experts anticipate a competitive series that could extend to five games, with Game 1 being crucial for determining the series direction.
Samsung, finishing the regular season in second place, will face third-place KIA on October 25 at 2 p.m. at Daegu Samsung Lions Park. The second game will also take place in Daegu on October 26, while Games 3 and 4 are scheduled for October 28 and 29 at Gwangju Kia Champions Field. If the series goes to a fifth game, it will be held on October 31 in Daegu. The series winner will advance to face the regular season champion KT Wiz starting November 2.
This will be the first postseason meeting between the two teams since the 2024 Korean Series, where KIA defeated Samsung 4-1 to claim their 12th championship title. Historically, KIA has the upper hand in postseason matchups, having defeated Samsung in previous Korean Series in 1986 (4-1), 1987 (4-0), and 1993 (4-2-1). Samsung's only postseason victory against KIA came in the 1990 playoffs (3-0), marking the first playoff encounter between the two teams in 36 years.
◆ Samsung, the Regular Season Runner-Up, vs. KIA, the Playoff SweepSamsung secured a direct path to the playoffs by finishing second in the regular season. The team boasts a trio of players with over 100 RBIs for the first time in 11 years: Lewin Diaz (129 RBIs), Choi Hyung-woo (106 RBIs), and Koo Ja-wook (102 RBIs). The bullpen is anchored by Kim Jae-yoon, who leads the league in saves (35), and Lee Seung-min, who is second in holds (23).
While Samsung is confident in their strong lineup, they remain cautious of KIA's momentum. Samsung manager Park Jin-man stated on October 20, "Kim Do-young has certainly shown superstar potential in the postseason, just as he did in the regular season. We have prepared well and have the capability to respond. If we work hard, we can win."
However, KIA holds a slight edge in their head-to-head record this season (9 wins, 7 losses) and is riding high after sweeping the fourth-place LG Twins in the preliminary playoffs (5-1, 6-3, 13-1).
Despite their recent success, KIA is not taking anything for granted. Manager Lee Beom-ho remarked after the preliminary playoffs on October 20, "Samsung is a stronger team than us, and we are the challengers, so we have nothing to fear. We need to play even more enjoyable and exciting baseball to harness our momentum."
Experts predict KIA's advantage but believe the series will be hard-fought. Min Hoon-ki, a commentator for SPOTV, said on October 21, "Given their current momentum, I wonder if any team can stop KIA. Their starting pitchers are all performing well, and an upset could happen. However, I believe the series will go to five games, and predicting the winner at that point will be difficult."
Kim Sun-woo, a commentator for MBC Sports Plus, also anticipates a lengthy series, stating, "I don't think it will end in three games. Ultimately, I expect the decisive game to be Game 5, with both teams giving their all in every match. This will be the biggest matchup of the season."
◆ Game 1 as the Deciding FactorIn short series, the outcome of the first matchup often dictates the series' direction. Historical data supports this, as 27 of the last 35 teams that won Game 1 of the playoffs advanced to the Korean Series, giving a probability of 77.1%.
As they prepare for Game 1, Samsung will rely on their rest, while KIA will leverage their recent competitive experience. Samsung has only participated in practice games since their final regular season game on October 12, while KIA has sharpened their skills through three preliminary playoff games and enjoyed four days of rest.
Kim believes Samsung must overcome the pressure of being well-rested. He noted, "While Samsung has managed to stay sharp without real games, postseason play brings a different level of pressure. How well they perform in Game 1 will significantly influence the rest of the series."
Samsung is expected to start Chris Paddack (7-3, 2.95 ERA) and Ariel Hurado (9-3, 3.54 ERA) in the first game.
Kim emphasized the importance of Samsung's starters holding their ground early in the game, stating, "KIA has hitters who performed well against Paddack during the regular season. They will enter the batter's box with confidence, so Samsung's pitchers need to hold strong until the fifth inning when the hitters find their rhythm."
KIA will counter with James Naile and Adam Oller, who both excelled in the preliminary playoffs, allowing just one and two earned runs over seven and six innings, respectively. Yang Hyun-jong, who did not pitch in the preliminary playoffs, is likely to appear in either Game 3 or 4 in Gwangju.
Kim noted, "KIA's starters only pitched once in the preliminary playoffs, allowing them to conserve energy while gaining postseason experience. Naile and Oller performed well, so they should carry that momentum into the playoffs."
Min predicts that the results of the first two games in Daegu will set the tone for the series. He stated, "Samsung will have the advantage of playing at home in Game 1, and if they can shake off any nerves from their extended break, they have the strength to push forward. For KIA, maintaining their momentum in the first two games and finishing the series at home in Games 3 and 4 would be the ideal scenario."
◆ Key Players: Hitting Champion Koo Ja-wook and Home Run King Kim Do-youngBoth commentators highlighted Samsung's Koo Ja-wook and KIA's Kim Do-young as key players to watch. Koo led the league with a .371 batting average, 15 home runs, and 102 RBIs over 114 games. However, he ended his regular season early due to a left hamstring injury on September 30. After focusing on rehabilitation, he recorded one hit and one walk in three at-bats during a practice game on October 19.
Koo's health will be a significant factor for Samsung's lineup. In the nine games he missed in October, Samsung's team batting average plummeted to .212, the lowest in the league. Min remarked, "While Koo has started hitting drills, he still seems to struggle with running and fielding. Whether he can return to full form will be a crucial variable in this series."
Kim Do-young, on the other hand, finished the season as the home run champion with a .308 batting average, 45 home runs, and 118 RBIs. He also excelled in the preliminary playoffs, hitting three home runs and driving in eight runs, earning the series MVP award. Against Samsung this season, he maintained a .306 batting average with nine home runs and 20 RBIs over 16 games.
How Samsung's pitching staff handles Kim will be a key point of interest. Kim noted, "Do-young displayed an impressive hitting ability in the preliminary playoffs, consistently stepping up in crucial situations. It will be interesting to see how manager Park Jin-man approaches pitching to Do-young when there are runners on base."
◆ Supporting Players to WatchMin identified Samsung's Kim Sung-yoon and KIA's Park Jae-hyun as potential game-changers. Kim Sung-yoon posted a .300 batting average with six home runs, 54 RBIs, and 19 stolen bases, serving as a table-setter for Samsung. Meanwhile, second-year player Park Jae-hyun achieved a .293 batting average with 19 home runs, 69 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases, securing the leadoff spot for KIA. In the preliminary playoffs, he recorded a .214 batting average with one RBI, four runs, and two stolen bases.
Min stated, "Both Kim Sung-yoon and Park Jae-hyun possess speed, base-running skills, and hitting ability. If they can effectively play their supporting roles, it will help their teams perform more smoothly in the games."
Samsung is also counting on veteran Choi Hyung-woo, who returned to the team this season and recorded a .301 batting average with 18 home runs and 106 RBIs. However, he struggled against his former team KIA, hitting just .190.
Kim noted, "Choi Hyung-woo is a different player in big games. As a player who has led his team to multiple championships, his approach to short series and ability to read the game flow will be exceptional."
Kim also pointed out KIA catcher Han Jun-soo, who had a .322 batting average in the first half of the season but saw a significant drop in performance in the second half. In the preliminary playoffs, he recorded two hits, one home run, and three RBIs.
Kim concluded, "If Han can contribute both defensively and offensively, KIA's offensive strength will significantly increase."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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