Gwangju:The LG Twins, having faced a string of losses against the Kia Tigers during the regular season, are set to confront their rivals once again in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) postseason. The best-of-five first round starts Saturday at the Gwangju-Kia Champions Field.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Twins manager Youm Kyoung-youb expressed determination to overcome their recent setbacks against the Tigers. The Twins finished fourth in the regular season, requiring a victory over the Doosan Bears in the wild card game to advance, while the Tigers secured the third seed and a bye to this round.
The Twins’ recent loss to the Tigers, which sealed their fourth-place finish, prompted an internal review. "We kept losing to Kia in some crucial games late in the season and it forced us to look at ourselves in the mirror and figure out what went wrong," Youm stated. He believes addressing the team's shortcomings will benefit them in the postseason.
Key to the Twins' strategy will be containing Tigers slugger Kim Do-yeong, who led the regular season with 45 home runs. "We cannot afford to put base runners in front of Do-yeong," Youm emphasized, highlighting the importance of their scouting efforts.
The team is bolstered by the return of veteran shortstop Oh Ji-hwan, who has recovered from a left knee injury sustained on October 5. "He has recovered well and he should have no problem hitting and fielding," Youm confirmed. Closer Son Ju-young, who missed the wild card game due to a neck injury, is also back on the roster. "We will test him in a middle relief role first and if all goes well, we will put him back in the closer spot," Youm added.