Seoul:Two fierce rivals, the LG Twins and the Doosan Bears, are set to kick off the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) postseason this week at the Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. The Twins, holding the fourth seed, will face the Bears, the fifth seed, in the wild card round starting at 630 p.m. on Wednesday. A win or a tie will secure the Twins' advancement, while the Bears need two consecutive victories to move forward.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Twins will rely on Carlos Carrasco, a former major league pitcher, to lead them on the mound. Carrasco joined the Twins in July and recorded a 6-3 win-loss record with a 4.05 ERA in 11 starts. He previously pitched seven scoreless innings against the Bears in his KBO debut. The Bears, meanwhile, will counter with Gwak Been, who topped the KBO with a 2.24 ERA and 197 strikeouts this year. Gwak aims for his first postseason victory after struggling in previous appearances.
This marks the seventh postseason meeting between these teams and their last at Jamsil Stadium, which is due for demolition. Throughout the regular season, the Twins dominated the Bears, winning 11 out of 16 games. However, the Twins' form has waned, dropping from first to fourth, while the Bears maintained their position in fifth.
The Twins face challenges with their bullpen, which ranked fifth in ERA, compounded by the absence of key relievers due to injuries and eligibility issues. Offensively, the Twins are bolstered by Austin Dean, who excelled in home runs, RBIs, and doubles during the regular season. The Bears, with strong pitching and notable base-stealing abilities, may not require high-scoring games to achieve success in the postseason.