The KBO League 2023 season is shaping up to be a three-way tiebreaker.
As of the 26th, the LG Twins (29W1D16L), SSG Landers (28W1D16L), and Lotte Giants (26W15L) are all within one game of each other at the top of the standings, while the Doosan Bears (22W1D21L), NC Dinos (22W22L), and KIA Tigers (20W21L) are all within one game of each other in fourth through sixth place. Samsung Lions (18W25L), Kiwoom Heroes (19W28L), KT Wiz (16W2D26L) and Hanwha Eagles (16W3D26L) are the four teams at the bottom of the standings. The difference between seventh-placed Samsung and ninth-placed KT and Hanwha is 1.5 games. Two consecutive wins and two consecutive losses could shake up the standings.메이저놀이터
Third-place Lotte and fourth-place Doosan are separated by five games, while sixth-place Kia and seventh-place Samsung are separated by three games. We have a 3-3-4 tier
The most prominent team in the top three is Lotte. At the start of the season, they were predicted to finish mid-table at best due to the lack of a replacement for the retired Lee Dae-ho, but they are confidently fighting for the top spot. They have a very good two-hitting balance. If the starters struggle, the bullpen picks up the slack and the hitters score runs and win games. If the bats are struggling, they shut them down, and if the mound is struggling, they hit. As the wins pile up, we have the strength to overcome crisis situations. On the 26th, they took a 6-0 lead against Kiwoom before giving up five runs in the bottom of the ninth, but managed to hold on for the win.
In the mid-table, NC showed a reversal. The team was expected to finish in the bottom half of the standings after the free agent transfers of Yang-ji and Noh Jin-hyuk and the departure of ace Drew Luchinski to the United States. However, NC has shown a solid organisational structure to be in contention for the top spot at the start of the season, and is still fighting for fifth place almost two months later. New foreign pitcher Eric Peddy has proven to be an ace on par with Luchinski, and domestic pitchers, including domestic ace Koo Chang-mo, have been strong. The batting has also been dominated by domestic hitters with foreigner Jason Martin out with an injury.
At the bottom of the table, Kiwoom and KT are the surprise teams, both of whom were favourites to finish in the top half of the table and even win the title this season. For Kiwoom, the absence of Lee Jung-hoo, the team’s centrepiece, has weakened their overall batting. The team made a number of moves to bolster its batting before the season, bringing in Futures free agent Lee Hyung-jong, and during the season sending set-up man Kim Tae-hoon to Samsung and bringing in veteran Lee Won-seok, but it hasn’t produced the expected results.
KT has been brought to its knees by a series of injuries. Starting with Kim Min-soo, Joo Kwon, Choi Soon-joon, Kim Min-hyuk, Park Byung-ho, and others, the injuries to the main players were constant. It was so bad that they had to use rookies to keep them in the first team. Recently, the team has been bolstered by the return of injured players and is showing signs of recovery with a four-game winning streak.
Of course, the season won’t last forever. There will be injuries, heatwaves, the Asian Games, and other things that will affect the team’s ranking. How you deal with each situation and overcome it will determine your path to autumn baseball.