Lions holding edge in Korean Series bullpen battle despite missing star closer
DAEGU — Before the Korean Series started this week, it appeared as though the KT Wiz would have an advantage in the battle of the bullpens over the Samsung Lions. After all, the Wiz boasted their All-Star closer Park Yeong-hyun, who finished third in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) with 30 saves in the regular season. The Lions, on the other hand, were without their own All-Star closer Kim…
DAEGU — Prior to the Korean Series commencing this week, it seemed the KT Wiz held an edge in the bullpen showdown against the Samsung Lions. The Wiz enjoyed the advantage of their All-Star closer Park Yeong-hyun, who had finished third in the KBO with a league-high 30 saves during the regular season. Conversely, the Lions were without their own star closer Kim Jae-yoon, who led the league in saves with 35 but was sidelined for the postseason due to an upper body injury sustained in October.
Moreover, the Wiz had an additional advantage in terms of rest as they earned a first-place finish in the regular season, affording them a bye into the championship series three weeks after their final regular-season game. The Lions, seeded as the No. 2 team, had to play an extra postseason round, facing the Kia Tigers in a five-game series to secure their spot in the Korean Series.
However, in the opening two games of the Korean Series, the Lions' relief pitchers emerged with stronger performances compared to their opponents.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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