Seoul: The LG Twins and the Hanwha Eagles, competitors in the 2025 Korean Series, will face off for the first time in the 2026 Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) season this week in Seoul. The two teams are currently on different trajectories as the new season unfolds.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the three-game series will kick off on Tuesday at Jamsil Baseball Stadium. The LG Twins, who are the reigning champions, are just a half-game away from leading the league with a 12-6-0 standing. They have emerged victorious in eight of their last ten games. Meanwhile, the Hanwha Eagles, still seeking their first title since 1999, have recently broken a six-game losing streak with two consecutive wins, positioning them tied for sixth place with an 8-10-0 record.
The Twins and the Eagles have been adopting different strategies to secure wins. The Twins have been relying heavily on their pitching, boasting the lowest team ERA at 3.60 and allowing the fewest walks at 59. Although their offensive output is slightly below the league average, their strong pitching has been crucial.
Conversely, the Eagles have been focusing on their offense to offset their pitching challenges. They currently rank second in the KBO for batting average (.282), runs (111), and hits (185). However, their pitching staff has been struggling, holding the league's worst ERA (5.63) and surrendering the most walks (102).
In a notable game last Tuesday against the Samsung Lions, the Eagles set a KBO record for the most walks and hit-by-pitches allowed by a team in a single game, totaling 18. In contrast, the Twins only gave up 17 walks and hit-by-pitches across five games last week.
Looking ahead, the Twins will remain at Jamsil for a weekend series against their co-tenants, the Doosan Bears (7-11-1). The Eagles will head back to their home ground in Daejeon for a series against the NC Dinos (8-10-0).
Elsewhere in the KBO, the Samsung Lions and the KT Wiz, currently tied for first place, are both set for home games. The Lions (12-5-1) will play against the SSG Landers (10-8-0) at Daegu Samsung Lions Park, while the Wiz (13-6-0) will face the Kia Tigers (10-9-0) at KT Wiz Park in Suwon.
Meanwhile, the Lotte Giants (6-12-0), who have lost three straight games and are now in ninth place, will host the Bears starting Tuesday before traveling to Gwangju for a weekend series against the Tigers. The Kiwoom Heroes (5-14-0), currently last in the standings, will have a six-game homestand this week against the Dinos and the Lions.