SEOUL — The stage is set for a dramatic showdown as the LG Twins and KT Wiz prepare to open the Korean Series on Tuesday. The Twins, aiming to claim their first baseball championship in nearly three decades, will put their longtime ace, Casey Kelly, on the mound to face off against the Wiz's sidearm pitcher, Ko Young-pyo.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the game will commence at 6:30 p.m. at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul, marking the beginning of the best-of-seven series. Twins manager Youm Kyoung-youb had previously disclosed his decision to start Kelly in Game 1, positioning the Twins for a strong opening after securing the best regular season record and a direct pass to the Korean Series.
Kelly, who has been with the Twins for five seasons, finished with a 10-7 record and a 3.83 ERA over 30 starts this year. Despite a challenging start to the season and subsequent concerns about his future in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), Kelly rebounded after the All-Star break, achieving a 2.90 ERA in the latter half. Against the Wiz this season, he maintained a 3.96 ERA over 25 innings pitched.
The Wiz will be without one of their key players, Kang Baek-ho, who previously succeeded against Kelly but is now sidelined due to an injury incurred in October. Still, the Wiz lineup includes Anthony Alford and Park Byung-ho, who have both delivered strong performances against Kelly.
On the opposing side, Ko Young-pyo enters the series with a 12-7 record and a 2.78 ERA. However, the Twins have proven challenging for Ko, who has allowed 15 earned runs against them over 18 1/3 innings, resulting in a 7.36 ERA—the highest for him against any team this season. Twins player Oh Ji-hwan, in particular, has excelled against Ko, achieving notable batting success.
Ko aims to extend the momentum from his last postseason game, where he pitched six scoreless innings to secure a win against the NC Dinos and keep the Wiz's championship hopes alive.
With both teams ready to battle for the title, the Korean Series is poised to offer an intriguing matchup between two formidable pitchers seeking to lead their teams to victory.