1 postseason spot up for grabs as KBO regular season winds down

As the South Korean baseball season nears its conclusion, only one postseason berth remains open, with two teams battling for a coveted spot. In the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), the top five teams advance to the postseason, with the league champion receiving a direct entry into the Korean Series. This year, KT Wiz boasts the best regular season record, securing a bye into the Korean Series following Monday's conclusion of their games.

The Samsung Lions are guaranteed the second playoff spot, giving them a bye into the best-of-five second round. Doosan Bears, however, find themselves in fifth place after a loss to LG Twins on Wednesday, ending their hopes of climbing higher in the standings. The Bears will host the visiting Twins in the wild card round beginning next Wednesday.

The Twins and the Kia Tigers now vie for the No. 3 seed and a bye into the best-of-five first round. The fourth-placed team will host the wild card round, with a simple win or tie in two games securing their advancement. Historically, a No. 5 seed has only managed to win the wild card round once since its introduction in 2015. With 76-62-2 record, Kia Tigers have four games remaining in their season.

Following a day off on Thursday, the Tigers will travel to Changwon to face the NC Dinos on Friday before concluding their season with three consecutive home games against three opponents – SSG Landers on Saturday, Lotte Giants on Sunday, and the Twins on Monday. Despite a 11-15 loss record against the Dinos this season, the Tigers boast a winning record against the other three teams they'll face, including an 8-7-0 series against the Twins.

The Tigers dominated the Twins in their three-game series in Seoul from last Saturday to Monday. The Twins will play the Giants twice in Busan from Friday to Saturday, with a final showdown against the Tigers on Monday marking their season's final game. The Twins have recently emerged from an eight-game losing streak, while the Tigers have won four of their past five games.

The distinction between third and fourth place holds substantial weight in the KBO's postseason setup, as the third seed enjoys a four-day break before the first round, allowing them to properly arrange their starting rotation with their ace ready for Game 1. Conversely, the fourth seed faces a grueling one-day reprieve before the wild card round, forcing them to rely on their best starter in the crucial Game 1.

If the Tigers need two wild card games to advance past the fifth-ranked opponent, they'll only receive one day off before the next round, and will have to wait until Game 3 for their two best starting pitchers to recover.